This month we hear from David Samuel Managing Director and founder of 24 Seven Communications
24 Seven Communications Ltd was set up in 2002 by MD, David Samuel and currently has a turnover of around £10m. The business is based in Leeds and in 2014, became the first UK Network Operator to launch a SIM card that roams between the major networks.
Over the past 13 years, 24 Seven has built up a reputation for advanced technological solutions to some of the industry’s key challenges. The business has impressive customer approval ratings and has a sense of pride in its close relationships with customers.
In 2014, the business repositioned itself with a new brand identity and mission statement, to become game changers by providing affordable, technologically advanced solutions to suit modern business. As part of this, the business made a ‘no jargon’ commitment, to help demystify telecoms for business customers.
In addition to its new national roaming SIM, 24 Seven has a range of services geared at making business more efficient. These range from M2M SIMs, call conferencing and recording, VoIP, SIP trunking, international calls, number ranges and mobile solutions.
Meanwhile, founder, David Samuel points to their national roaming SIM as one of the most exciting developments for the next 12 months: “National roaming has received a lot of publicity, especially with the government putting mobile coverage out for consultation. Many were surprised with just how vociferously the big four MNO’s came out against this. We don’t see national roaming as the only answer to improved coverage, but it has to be part of the mix.”
“Having launched the SIM in late 2014, we immediately had interest from several specific business areas. The medical sector in particular have been very interested in trialling the system, and one NHS trust has installed it on the laptops of its midwives. You can immediately see the application a roaming SIM could have for a coverage-critical industry such as this.”
“Equally, businesses who send out lone workers have been very interested in what we can offer. Security for employees is high up on the agenda, and a roaming SIM helps ensure that they’re available and contactable more of the time.”
“In our opinion, government proposals don’t go far enough. 2G is an obsolete spectrum, and black spots don’t just affect voice calls. In this increasingly data-reliant society, being able to access a faster 3G or 4G network is vital to a modern business. We really believe this is a game changer.”
Married? Yes.
Kids? 3 kids all under 4
Lives where? Leeds
What is your favourite car? Ferrari F12
What do you drive? Range Rover
What really gets your goat in business? Organisations who take forever and a day to make simple decisions
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? To set up my own business
And the worst? Being told if I didn’t work hard at school, I’d get nowhere.
Favourite Film? Wolf of Wall Street
Who is/was the best James Bond? Daniel Craig
Last CD/DVD bought? Coldplay
Sport? F1
Favourite team? Ferrari
What’s the best thing you’ve bought this year? The domain Jump.co.uk
What have you wasted money on? Buying a TV channel
If you could pick anyone to go to dinner with who would it be and why? Jeremy Clarkson, for the entertainment value!
What could you not live without? iPhone / Mac
Who’s been your greatest inspiration? Steve Jobs
Do you have a hero? Michael Schumacher
If it all went belly up tomorrow, what would you do? Sit on a beach for 6 months then start over again
What would you do if you were invisible? Sit in competitor’s offices!
If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be? Roman Abramovich
Your best blag ever? Never needed to
What is on your iPod? Coldplay
What Gadgets do you have? Everything Apple
Your opinion of 3G coverage in the UK is… Perfectly adequate