TalkTalk Business expands managed services portfolio with addition of Planet IT

Leading law firm Freeths has advised the selling shareholders of Planet IT on the sale of the business to TalkTalk Business, supporting TalkTalk Business’s expansion of its managed services portfolio.

Headquartered in Salford, Greater Manchester, TalkTalk Business is one of the UK’s leading B2B telecoms and managed service providers, offering a full range of business grade communications products and services, spanning internet access, data, voice and network infrastructure. Its mission is to empower UK organisations to exceed their ambitions by delivering trusted service and innovative solutions. TalkTalk Business has a proud history, with over 25 years’ experience serving businesses of every size, from national retailers to small and medium sized enterprises,  with future proof, scalable technology and dedicated support. Building on this heritage, it continues to invest in developing a comprehensive managed services offering alongside its core connectivity specialisms.

Planet IT is a UK based provider of managed IT support, cybersecurity and Microsoft cloud services. The business supports organisations across multiple sectors with secure, reliable technology services, including managed IT support, cloud infrastructure, Microsoft 365 and Azure solutions and strategic IT consultancy.

The transaction brings together Planet IT’s strong technical expertise and customer focused approach with TalkTalk Business’s national scale, connectivity solutions and advanced networking and UC capabilities, enhancing both organisations’ ability to support businesses across the UK with secure, scalable and integrated technology services.

Planet IT’s founders, Gavin Jones and Sean Smith, will continue to lead the business alongside the existing leadership team, ensuring continuity for customers, partners and employees as the business enters its next phase of growth.

The multi disciplinary Freeths team was led by Corporate Partner Malin Svanberg Larsson and Associate James Allen. The wider Corporate team included Associate Freya Squizzoni and Trainee Solicitor Harriet Welch. Employment support was provided by Partner Nicola Wallbank and the Tax and Incentives team was led by Partners Stephen Jones and Claire Boyce, with support from Associate Dhruv Shah.

Reflecting on the transaction, Malin Svanberg Larsson, Corporate Partner at Freeths, said: “It was an absolute pleasure to work with Gavin, Sean and the wider Planet IT team on this transaction. They have built a fantastic business with a strong culture and an impressive reputation and this deal represents an exciting new chapter for both the founders and the business. We are delighted to have supported them on this milestone moment and wish them every success as they continue their journey with TalkTalk Business."

Gavin Jones, Co CEO at Planet IT, added: “Working with the Freeths team has been a genuinely brilliant experience. Their responsiveness, commercial insight and hands on support made the entire process feel straightforward and well managed, even at its most complex. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built at Planet IT and are excited about the future as part of TalkTalk Business.”