Freedom Fibre

The Facts

Freedom Fibre Now Enjoys:

• Streamlined operations with comprehensive cost tracking and reporting.

Freedom Fibre Now Can:

• Easily track stock usage, costs, and labour across projects.

Freedom Fibre Now Has:

• A flexible and scalable system to support growth and business transformation.

The Story

Who They Are

As a UK FTTP wholesaler, Freedom Fibre is building a reliable, resilient, and lightning-fast full-fibre network for homes and businesses across the North West and parts of the Midlands.

Founded by industry leader Neil McArthur, Freedom Fibre has positioned itself as a leader within the AltNet sector, accelerating the UK-wide rollout of gigabit-capable infrastructure. 

After a strategic merger with VX UK in early 2024, Freedom Fibre has continued to take an innovative approach to designing complex networks and has onboarded a range of internet service providers, including Freedom Fibre’s owned retail subsidiary, LilaConnect.

With further significant growth on the horizon as a result of Project Gigabit contracts awarded from Building Digital UK, Freedom Fibre is rolling out gigabit-capable broadband in North Shropshire and will commence work in rural Cheshire at the beginning of 2025.

As Systems and Business Process Manager, Shariff Tbealeh plays a pivotal role in ensuring operational excellence. Shariff describes his role as being centered on “efficiency, innovation, collaboration, and business transformation.” He oversees the enhancement of essential systems, such as Simpro, while also driving process improvements and leveraging advanced tools like Power BI dashboards to keep Freedom Fibre at the cutting edge of technology.

What They Do

Freedom Fibre enhances the UK’s fibre network infrastructure, partnering with ISPs to make full fibre broadband more accessible, affordable, and efficient. With a focus on innovation and a strong leadership team, the company is driving change in the telecommunications space.

Why They Started With Simpro

Before implementing Simpro, Freedom Fibre was heavily reliant on Excel to track project costs, stock, and labour, but this system quickly became inefficient as the business expanded. The team struggled with maintaining data accuracy and generating the necessary reports in a timely manner. As the company grew, the need for a more integrated solution became clear, and Freedom Fibre decided to adopt Simpro to streamline operations and improve reporting accuracy.

“Using Excel made it difficult to maintain data accuracy and consistency,” Shariff explains. “We needed a system that could track stock usage and costs, manage both internal and external labour, and consolidate all this information in one place for efficient reporting.”

How Simpro Changed Things

After implementing Simpro, Freedom Fibre saw immediate benefits. The system replaced cumbersome spreadsheets with an integrated platform capable of managing stock, costs, and labour efficiently.

“Simpro has been instrumental in helping us overcome the limitations of Excel,” says Shariff. “We can now track stock usage, costs, and labour in one place. It has reduced errors, saved time, and improved data integrity. The reporting functionality provides comprehensive insights that are crucial for making informed decisions.”

Simpro’s automation capabilities, such as open APIs, have also been a game-changer for Freedom Fibre. “We’ve automated the creation of estimates, significantly reducing the time and effort required,” Shariff notes. “This allows our team to focus on strategic tasks rather than administrative work.”

The ability to track supplier POs, receipts, and invoices against stock and projects has further streamlined operations. According to Shariff, “Simpro has given us a clear view of our stock and expenses, ensuring we stay within budget while maintaining operational efficiency.”

Where To Next

With Simpro as a foundation for its operations, Freedom Fibre is poised for continued growth. The company plans to further leverage Simpro’s tools to refine processes and support strategic initiatives.

Reflecting on the impact of Simpro, Shariff says, “Having successfully implemented Simpro in three different companies, I can confidently say it’s adaptable and delivers significant value across diverse industries. Simpro has transformed how we manage our projects and operations, making it an indispensable tool for our business.”

Freedom Fibre’s journey with Simpro is a testament to the power of innovation and efficiency in driving industry-leading results.