An ambitious AltNet aggregator that counts some of the UK’s largest retailers and charities among its customers is targeting channel growth after switching to a 100% indirect model.
Flexgrid claims to offer ISPs and MSPs an unrivalled array of connectivity options thanks to its partnerships with 32 AltNets and a large number of telcos.
Talking to IT Channel Oxygen, Flexgrid Director Frazer Cannadine said the Shoreham-based outfit is aiming to boost its partner base with the development of its channel focused toolset.
Its channel partners are a mix of ISPs who take just the AltNet connectivity proposition and MSPs who draw on its wider solution stack.
“We made the pivot to go to an indirect model because we felt we were having better traction with our channel partners, helping them get in front of more CTOs and IT Directors through the solutions and products we offer”.
“We give our partners options”
“Our flexibility will give channel partners the advantage as the looming PSTN switch-off is prioritising the adoption of full-fibre broadband” Cannadine said.
“We partner with the largest number of AltNets compared to any UK ISP, so what we give our channel partners are options across the broadest connectivity base” he said.
“We bring them all together under one single MSA. It’s complex to do what we’re doing, but we make it simple for partners.
“With the PSTN shutdown due to happen at the end of January 2027, everybody’s looking to move away from legacy broadband to full-fibre broadband.
“There’s no ISP better equipped in the UK to help people do that because of our AltNet strategy.”
700-site projects
Founded in 2016, Flexgrid today boasts thousands of live connections serving over 100 different business customers.
“For the first three or four years, we were focusing on selling Ethernet,” Cannadine recalled.
“But in the last three or four years we’ve seen real growth as we’ve focused back into the channel, and developed our AltNet strategy to complement what we were already doing with Ethernet.”
Flexgrid has recently scored success in large-scale broadband projects involving rollouts covering in excess of 600 sites, Cannadine revealed.
“We’ve had fantastic success rolling out large-scale broadband into the retail and charity sectors,” he explained.
“We can cover roughly 85% of the UK with full-fibre broadband, and that’s a combination of using the Openreach network and our aggregated AltNet platform.”
Getting a price for connectivity “very, very quickly”
Asked about his 2026 priorities, Cannadine said Flexgrid is looking to add more AltNets to its new partner portal offering instant pricing on connectivity.
“We have 22 AltNets and several carriers on the tool today” he said “and we are looking to get the remaining AltNets integrated by the end of the year”.
“If you want to get a price for connectivity very, very quickly, you can do it through us, and we will continue to build on this.”
Also key to Flexgrid’s plans is the imminent launch of its Layer 2 proposition.
“We’ll be able to offer ISPs, AltNet connectivity solutions at Layer 2. That will be key for national players,” Cannadine said.
“We want to build long-lasting relationships”
Flexgrid is seeking to foster ties with a select number of additional ISPs and MSPs in 2026, Cannadine stressed.
“When I talk to ISPs, they’re all saying ‘what shall I do with my AltNet strategy’?,” he said.
“We can fix that very easily for them. We’ll give them access to 32 AltNets in a single place.
“When I’m talking to MSPs and traditional resellers, they’re looking to expand out of hardware sales, develop their managed services and increase their recurring revenue streams.”
“We can help them build out their entire connectivity platform from a single place, including broadband, Ethernet, cellular and satellite.”
“We also offer more than just traditional resale for some of our MSP partners. If they want to take that managed service even further, we can provide them with a rich operations API to enable self service, route cause analysis and asset management. This seems to be a priority when we take feedback from our channel partners.”
“We don’t need to have a huge number of channel partners” Cannadine continued.
“We’ve got a great relationship with the people we work with already, and we’re looking to expand it this year with four or five additional partners that we can really help either take just our AltNet services, or help them grow their entire solution stack.
“We are here to build long-lasting relationships.”
This article was produced in association with Flexgrid and is classified as partner content. What is partner content? See more here.
