Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Lessons Learned
What are the lasting lessons to be learned from the NextGenUs JFDI experience, as regards delivering a sustainable broadband service?
NextGenUs proved that it is possible to bring alternative broadband infrastructure to communities considered uneconomic by other providers eg BT, by using both wireless technologies and full gigabit FTTH, in the latter case showing how build costs can be cut dramatically using community volunteers ("dig your own fibre").
Whilst there is nothing wrong at all with commercial for-profit companies willing to transparently step up, compete and provide customer choice, what is sad to see from a community point of view is that all of the former NextGenUs not-for-profit community broadband networks are now no longer owned by Community Interest Companies (neither Connexin Ltd, nor Lonsdale Network Services Ltd, nor Beeline Broadband Ltd. nor Buckminster Broadband Ltd).
Instead these networks are controlled by those seeking profit for themselves alone free of any obligations to the local communities that they serve, which is totally contrary to the original NextGenUs bargain offered.
It will be interesting to see how alternative community ownership structures are able to weather this greed factor and one to watch is certainly the b4rn Community Benefit Society approach.
Whilst no business ever has enough funding available to cover every eventuality and seize every investment opportunity, NextGenUs was not under-financed for the normal course of business;
However it is this author's opinion that the NGU group found itself unable to weather a storm of fraud, deception, outright theft and computer network hacking perpetrated by insiders including former employees and worst of all by then-serving company directors.
Certainly having a team comprised of trustworthy individuals who genuinely share the same agenda is absolutely critical to the longterm success of any project.
In reality, perhaps 1% of the so-called final 10% of the UK broadband market has as yet been reached by alternative providers.
That leaves 99% unserved and a very interesting next several years ahead with a diverse patchwork of interoperable local broadband networks emerging to close the gap left by the incumbent providers e.g. BT, Virgin Media.
Where taxpayer intervention to promote the availability of broadband can be justified, this will hopefully provide effective aid through direct end-customer subsidies (as proven in Wales) and see an end to the GOSPLAN antics of BDUK.
Sunday, 29 July 2012
Getting down to Brass Hacks
UPDATE 17th August 2012:
Do you want your personal data passing through the hands and eyes of any individual, by their own eventual admission, willing to attempt unauthorised access to internet systems?
Now that formal criminal investigation has been concluded, it is possible to begin to share the dirty digital fingerprints of Craig James Brass, back in March 2012, revealed busy doing his utmost to compromise Cumbrian customers for his own advantage.
More to follow.
Following information provided by Cumbria Constabulary in accordance with the requirements of The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime.
Details of the offence for which a caution was administered to Craig Brass, Crime Reference number NC1201646 refers to this matter, at the conclusion of the investigation was for an offence contrary to Section 1(1) and (3) of the Computer Misuse Act 1990.
Nothing further to observe on the matter of Craig James Brass beyond Caveat Emptor e.g. for his new venture Lonsdale Network Services Limited and something else for customers to consider when choosing who is involved in supplying their service must be the hacker factor.
Do you want your personal data passing through the hands and eyes of any individual, by their own eventual admission, willing to attempt unauthorised access to internet systems?
Now that formal criminal investigation has been concluded, it is possible to begin to share the dirty digital fingerprints of Craig James Brass, back in March 2012, revealed busy doing his utmost to compromise Cumbrian customers for his own advantage.
More to follow.
Thursday, 26 July 2012
Fit and Proper?
Two recent emails, quoted in part below with permission at the request of a very concerned father, serve to highlight the need for the internet Industry to take stock of its unique position of trust granted by the general public and to ensure that only fit and proper people are allowed unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults, whether this be in person at home or indirectly by having access to and the ability to interfere with each family's private use of the internet.
Whilst there is no suggestion at this time that Simon John Davison, understood to currently be an employee of Connexin Limited, is a present danger to children or vulnerable adults, the fact that the Family Court is making urgent investigations into his past activities, arrests and restraining orders does serve to draw attention to the role that enhanced CRB checks might offer to provide some level of comfort to parents and the individual in question for that matter.
The CRB system, whilst not perfect, does provide an essential safeguard for other areas of life including education and healthcare so why should the internet be treated any less seriously?
Whilst there is no suggestion at this time that Simon John Davison, understood to currently be an employee of Connexin Limited, is a present danger to children or vulnerable adults, the fact that the Family Court is making urgent investigations into his past activities, arrests and restraining orders does serve to draw attention to the role that enhanced CRB checks might offer to provide some level of comfort to parents and the individual in question for that matter.
The CRB system, whilst not perfect, does provide an essential safeguard for other areas of life including education and healthcare so why should the internet be treated any less seriously?
I have just sent you details on Davison I have not sent the full order as has all my kids details and there personal details as you will see the court stamp top corner thanks
I clearly have concerns for my children my opinion he is a potential danger to them I spoke to his ex wife who stated she could not Stand him and he hurt her when he attacked her and strangled the life out of her this is a worry !
Monday, 28 May 2012
Brass Tacks Small World
Plastered all over the nextgenus.co.uk and fibrestream.co.uk
websites is a curious claim about the Nextgenus Cumbria CIC network, located in
Cumbria obviously, to the effect that these assets have been bought by “a local
investor”
Of course, these domains are both owned by companies not actually in administration and have been
illegally hijacked by self-confessed criminal Craig James Brass, but hey when did legal
niceties have any bearing in the digital wild west that is UK broadband,
especially when Community Interest Company law gets in the way of a tidy
asset-stripping profit for some?
The fantasy-football-esque report to creditors by joint
administrators John Butler
and Fran Devine of 27th April 2012 advises that this mystery buyer
is the Lonsdale Settled Estates, a company managed by John Robson of H&H Land on behalf of Hugh “Laalordy” Lowther.
Coincidentally, Robson was
formerly in negotiations regarding wayleaves from the various Trusts concerned for NextGenUs Cumbria CIC,
with then NextGenUs Limited director Steve Dixon, solicitor and partner at Metis Law LLP
The only problem with this seemingly simple arrangement is
that NextGenUs Cumbria CIC is not and never has been in administration
therefore if as they say the joint administrators have indeed sold these assets
to Lonsdale Settled Estates then the former are guilty of fraudulent dealing and the latter has paid good money only to
receive stolen property.
Oops.
In other developments, self-confessed thief and fraudster Craig James Brass also surfaces in Buckminster,
busy tweeting about his jolly japes at network building.
Tweets
Buckminster water tower node installed yesterday. 2 sub-nodes to do
today. BT arriving at 9 to install the fibre feed too :)
Another productive day in Buckminster. Fibre ducting in ready for
blowing next week. A wireless node to install on a water tower tomorrow...
Productive Fibre / Wireless installation day in Buckminster. All subduct
in bar ~600m in. Just waiting on BT installing the trunk link now..
In Buckminster near Grantham for the week installing a high speed fibre
and wireless broadband network.
Amazing what you do when without a phone, etc for a few hours. Is it
wrong I was enjoying reading Cheryl Cole's autobiography...?
Readers may recall the name Buckminster from earlier posts regarding the dismissal for gross
misconduct of former NextGenUs Group employee and director Simon John Davison by lying to the board regarding Buckminster, causing several months direct delay
to project delivery
which ultimately resulted
in NextGenUs UK CIC having to exit the contract and take a total earnings loss
amounting to many millions of pounds over the course of the next 99 years!
Whilst this exit by NextGenUs UK CIC did indeed provide the
customer’s company Wymondham Farms Limited with this massive windfall benefit
there is no suggestion of any evidence that the customer, Richard Tollemache, is involved in any way personally with Davison or Brass criminal actions, simply that the coincidence of Brass now building the same network in
Buckminster might reasonably look rather “Small World” to any outside observer.
Perhaps Buckminster Broadband Limited is now somehow connected as a merely innocent party entirely unaware of what Brass has been up to?
A further reason for Simon John Davison’s dismissal was that
he and Craig James Brass, by their own admission, conspired to
misappropriate company stock (which may or may not have ever been delivered in
whole or in part by the happy chappies Geoff Jones and Ian Bushrod at MSDist Limited) to the value of £14,000 for personal gain and in order to
cause deliberate cashflow pressure on the NextGenUs businesses which both Davison
and Brass were then serving directors of.
It has also come to the notice of the joint administrators and
others via some sterling investigative work by the company accountant Antony Rookes that there is over £10,000 of cash missing and unaccounted
for by Simon John Davison and Mark Dunn during their employment by the
NextGenUs Group.
Both of these individuals are now employees of Connexin Limited, the for-profit beneficiaries of Simon John Davison’s
agent and joint NextGenUs UK CIC administrator, Fran Devine.
Small World indeed and all that’s needed to complete the dream
team is that champion chomper himself Lincolnshire County Councillor Eran “pieman” Bauer, who as well as holding a Category 5 UK firearms licence is also a senior figure in the Knight's Templar to which interestingly Norwegian extremist Anders Breivik also claims allegiance
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| Knights Templar |
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| Knights Templar |
Wednesday, 2 May 2012
Open Letter to Joint Administrator
There follows an open letter to John Butler, joint administrator of NextGenus UK CIC and Fibrestream Limited:
John,
John,
I can confirm that DC XXXX of Humberside Police returned all my computer equipment last Friday afternoon and I understand that all enquiries have been ceased which is good news in terms of not wasting further police time and also a relief to myself and my family to have this matter satisfactorily concluded and I hope that those who actually hacked the Hull network are brought to account - see http://nextgenus.blogspot.co.
During the course of this weekend I have identified any obviously helpful information from my computer and attached documents that may be relevant for the information you have previously requested, please advise by return as regards any other outstanding items from you previous emails that you are seeking still.
Onto more serious matters.
Your note to creditors which you also posted me printed copies (and for which again I request that you kindly provide electronic copies so that the complete and accurate picture may most expeditiously be provided) on Friday last contains several factual inaccuracies and serious omissions.
The respective roles of Simon John Davison and Craig James Brass in actively undermining both Fibrestream Limited and NextGenUs UK CIC when both individuals were directors of NextGenUs Group companies has been deliberately ignored in your note and must be corrected for the record.
Similarly missing is the background that Davison was dismissed from employment by the NextGenUs Group as a prelude to his removal as both director (which he pre-empted by offering his resignation in February 2012) and compulsory sale of his shares, according to the shareholders agreement then in place, an agreement now repudiated by Davison's serial, ongoing and irreperable breaches.
The reasons for Davison's dismissal from employment for gross misconduct are material and central as to why both Fibrestream Limited and NextGenus UK CIC were forced into administration due to loss of contracts caused by Davison deliberately lying to the Board about the status of key projects (Buckminster in particular had a direct loss to NextGenUs UK CIC of some £45,000 and consequential, reputational and goodwill losses into the several hundreds of thousands of pounds short term range).
Davison's actions along with Craig James Brass of (allegedly, as there is no evidence beyond shipping weights from the supposed supplier MSDist Ltd than any equipment was actually dispatched and it is most strange to note that Davison subsequently purchased this supposed debt from the supplier in question to then become a creditor himself and thereby enable the pre-packed deal created by his agent F Devine) ordering then misappropriating some £14k of equipment were clear efforts to drive under both businesses of which you are joint administrator in order to provide direct commercial gain for both Simon John Davison and Craig James Brass, which the note that you provided to creditors last Friday confirms to be the case.
You have been party to the disposal of assets that were not within your remit as joint administrator to so do as regards Cumbria and this is a most serious matter indeed which may open you to charges of fraudulent dealing, which I do not believe is your intention and hence why I am giving you every opportunity to remedy matters in your professional capacity, even at this late stage.
The very existence of this hereforeto hidden pre-packed agreement created by your joint administrator F Devine (and of which I have yet to see a complete copy and am therefore still unable to ascertain exactly the extent of what you have sold and equally what is excluded!) served to fatally undermine negotiations during the course of March 2012 with what was otherwise a serious potential investor in the Cumbria business specifically and by extension the business as a whole.
Again, I must request that you cease prevaricating as regards internet domain names and therefore all related email addresses owned by Neoeon Limited and NextGenus Limited that have been usurped without authorisation by Craig James Brass on or after the 13 April 2012 and request, in addition to instructing Mr Brass to return control of said domains to their proper prior ownership as you have been previously and again here advised, that you advise to the best of your knowledge who provided Mr Brass with the access codes and passwords to be able to make these false changes to the ownership of these following domains:
The result of the unauthorised changes to internet domain ownerships as described above includes and is not limited to direct damages to NextGenUs Limited and its subsidiaries (Neoeon Limited and NextGenUs Cumbria CIC) by way of preventing access to emails to and from customers, current and prospective, and suppliers etc in the normal course of business plus opens up the very real prospect of such legitimately attempted communications being intercepted by unauthorised parties who I understand have not bought any NextGenUs Group businesses as a going concern in any event.
John, whilst I understand that it was your joint administrator and Simon John Davison's de-facto agent F Devine who was responsible for the execution of this pre-packed deal, I am genuinely surprised that you wish to be associated with what appears to be fraud, against both for-profit and community interest companies, beyond any reasonable doubt and I am giving you the opportunity here and now to set the record straight and protect your own good name.
Regards
Tuesday, 24 April 2012
Red Handed
Not content with wasting Humberside Police time, the characters at Connexin led by Simon Davison have now been caught red handed around noon on Tuesday 24th April 2012 interfering with the main feeder for the communities of RAF Digby, Ashby and Digby.
After half an hour of fiddling, local witnesses report that the internet service suddenly disappeared and Simon Davison was then seen travelling from the main feeder location directly to Ashby Hall the residence of none other than Lincolnshire County Councillor Eran Nicodemus Bauer.
Astonishingly, Connexin are using Facebook in another extraordinary and defamatory attempt to blame this outage on "ex-NextGenUs staff" who have no access anyway!
Or perhaps not so surprising as there appears to be significant commercial gain to be made from avoiding deferred payments for the networks and who is better placed than Connexin to self-sabotage?
Quite where the customers and wider community are left in all this heaven only knows...
After half an hour of fiddling, local witnesses report that the internet service suddenly disappeared and Simon Davison was then seen travelling from the main feeder location directly to Ashby Hall the residence of none other than Lincolnshire County Councillor Eran Nicodemus Bauer.
Astonishingly, Connexin are using Facebook in another extraordinary and defamatory attempt to blame this outage on "ex-NextGenUs staff" who have no access anyway!
Or perhaps not so surprising as there appears to be significant commercial gain to be made from avoiding deferred payments for the networks and who is better placed than Connexin to self-sabotage?
Quite where the customers and wider community are left in all this heaven only knows...
Monday, 23 April 2012
Connexin the Dots
It is the opinion of this author that Eran Bauer, subject to full Lincolnshire County Council Standards Investigation, secretly desired to own the Ashby FTTH network from the start by working to undermine and asset strip a Community Interest Company with “Sweet FA” Furqan Alamgir new employee (who by doing so has put himself into repudiatory breach of the NextGenUs Shareholders Agreement) Simon Davison.
Bauer is being investigated as regards an email he sent to Barclays Capital Finance in January 2012, cc Simon Davison, then a director of Fibrestream Ltd, suspended from employment on 10th January 2012
After the remarkable “28 MinuteSale!” events earlier that day, I spoke to the joint administrator, John Butler around 530PM on Friday 13th April 2012 and reminded him that whilst the company would provide all relevant information at its disposal promptly on the next business day to any bona-fide purchasers of NextGenUs UK CIC network assets, he must understand that due to extensive hacking of the network, subsequent to the email system being compromised and risking providing unauthorised access to those responsible to confidential customer lists, administration passwords, there was only incomplete information available.
Furthermore that elements of the network had been “sold off” without company authorisation by MSDist, an equipment supplier from whom Davison and Brass ordered some £14k of radios and other hardware then stashed away
Or may have ordered as no serial numbers or MAC addresses were provided with these alleged orders, only long afterwards when the business asked MSDist for this information when it became apparent that Davison and Brass had misappropriated the stock concerned.
It is important to note that the consequential commercial impact on the business of Davison and Brass behaviour was severe as not only did the stock have to be paid for, there was no hardware to recover either installation costs or ongoing service revenues.
Also noteworthy is that MSDist clearly had access to confidential company data as they attempted to claim equipment after the fact that was identified against actual customers addresses perhaps provided by ex-employees see http://nextgenus.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/keep-calm-and-carry-on.html
http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Police-called-Hull-broadband-customers-cut-wake/story-15858047-detail/story.html reported some outrageous events later on Friday 13th April 2012 which bear examination.
According to the article:
Internet phone company Connexin bought the assets and pledged to keep everyone online.
But the new firm says it was unable to acquire access codes in east Hull and effectively had to hack into its own systems to keep people online. Then the service began to crash and Connexin called the police.
The NextGenUs UK CIC community broadband network was in fact operating normally providing service to customers in Hull and East Yorkshire, the Company had advised the joint administrator John Butler that it was happy to provide what information it had as regards network passwords and customer data to any bona-fide purchaser and that was at 6PM Friday 13th April 2012, after close of business.
In other words, there was no good reason for connexin to be as Alamgit puts it “hack into its own systems” and thereby cause the network to crash through their ineptitude, or worse.
Yours truly then retired to bed at the end of an astonishing 28 minute saleday, only to be awoken by Humberside Police at 9:30PM who it subsequently emerged had been goaded in over-reacting by hysterical FaceBook posts from Simon Davison and others inciting apparently now disconnected customers to call the Police and claim to them that company representatives including myself had somehow caused this outage.
As Alamgit admits in the HDM article http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Police-called-Hull-broadband-customers-cut-wake/story-15858047-detail/story.html
“Internet phone company Connexin bought the assets and pledged to keep everyone online.
But the new firm says it was unable to acquire access codes in east Hull and effectively had to hack into its own systems to keep people online. Then the service began to crash and Connexin called the police.”
Of course, Alamgit stands to gain commercially by claiming that there were problems with the network as this reduces the pre-packed price his company Connexin Ltd eventually pays and anyway Alamgit admits that Connexin was hacking the network and that it was their ineptitude that caused the outage in the first place!
"The calls followed a posting on Facebook urging concerned customers to contact the police after wi-fi was disconnected for several customers in east Hull.”
Apparently Humberside Police received over a hundred calls in half an hour, so hardly surprising that they felt obliged to react as they did!!!
In other words, Connexin employees incited a Facebook flash mob only this incident also caused a waste of Police time and resources as in reality yours truly had no need to know nor therefore access to the codes concerned.
The unauthorised facebook group concerned, nextgenus internet hull, is controlled by Simon Davison and Mark dunn, both ex-Nextgenus group employees who both now work for Connexin ltd and this Facebook group is notorious for blocking and banning any user who criticises Connexin or asks difficult questions.
"A Humberside Police spokesman told the Mail: "Humberside Police received a number of calls from members of the public following alleged data protection issues with the internet wi-fi network NextGenUs.
"Detectives are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged offences."
And the detectives are getting full cooperation as regards both their time being wasted by Connexin and also the wider fraud that has been perpetrated, in the opinion of this author.
Mr Alamgir says all customers should now be back on and he has pledged to honour the existing charging packages people were on.
His company also offers an upgraded package at the same rate but with a changeover administration fee of £25.
In other words 400 customers each paying £25 (for what?) brings in £10,000 to Connexin if 400 customers fall for this surcharge – Connexin have apparently only paid £18k upfront for Hull and Ashby/Digby with a further £10k to follow in the next 6 months – this means that sweet FA has every incentive to invent or even create problems with these networks so that he can pay sweet FA of the deferred payment amount.
If customers pay the Connexin surcharge then Connexin have had to outlay only £8k – a positive steal by any measure and all completed in 28 minutes.
In an attempt to justify this pre-packed deal, claims were initially made by joint administrator, FDevine, that internet suppliers would have ceased service at noon on 13th April 2012 unless a pre-arranged deal with Connexin was done. See http://nextgenus.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/uk-fastest-ever-broadband-network-sale.html
Suppliers were immediately contacted and happy to confirm that they had no intention of ceasing service and that they had given no such advice to Devine.
The story then hurriedly changed without explanation and it was then claimed by the administrators that unless the pre-packed deal with Connexin was rammed through by noon Friday 13th April 2012 then Connexin had threatened to withdraw and that might mean that no better offer would emerge.
In reality Connexin had been boasting for several weeks previously of its intention to establish a wireless network in Hull and the Davison-controlled FB Group (NextGenUs Internet Hull) had been inciting NextGenUs customers to not pay their bills and wait for Connexin to take over, so Connexin were clearly bluffing in threatening to just walk away and in any event the pre-packed deal price had every prospect of being raised were other potential investors given any realistic opportunity to assess what was on offer.
Bearing in mind that neither Devine nor Butler were acting as administrators until at the earliest 11AM on Friday 13th April 2012, so what is this unmissable deal then?
It appears that there is a “pre-packed” deal created by Devine that sells parts of NextGenUs UK CIC and Fibrestream ltd assets whilst leaving behind all associated liabilities.
This pre-packed Connexin deal (which remains secret and will apparently do so for the next two weeks at least according to John Butler, joint administrator) was concluded in 28 Minutes flat giving no opportunity for best value to be realised – this means that the joint administrators have failed to ensure the best outcome for creditor or customers.
The unauthorised facebook group concerned, nextgenus internet hull, is controlled by Simon Davison and Mark dunn, both ex-Nextgenus group employees who both now work for Connexin ltd and this Facebook group is notorious for blocking and banning any user who criticises Connexin or asks difficult questions.
"A Humberside Police spokesman told the Mail: "Humberside Police received a number of calls from members of the public following alleged data protection issues with the internet wi-fi network NextGenUs.
"Detectives are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged offences."
And the detectives are getting full cooperation as regards both their time being wasted by Connexin and also the wider fraud that has been perpetrated, in the opinion of this author.
Mr Alamgir says all customers should now be back on and he has pledged to honour the existing charging packages people were on.
His company also offers an upgraded package at the same rate but with a changeover administration fee of £25.
In other words 400 customers each paying £25 (for what?) brings in £10,000 to Connexin if 400 customers fall for this surcharge – Connexin have apparently only paid £18k upfront for Hull and Ashby/Digby with a further £10k to follow in the next 6 months – this means that sweet FA has every incentive to invent or even create problems with these networks so that he can pay sweet FA of the deferred payment amount.
If customers pay the Connexin surcharge then Connexin have had to outlay only £8k – a positive steal by any measure and all completed in 28 minutes.
In an attempt to justify this pre-packed deal, claims were initially made by joint administrator, FDevine, that internet suppliers would have ceased service at noon on 13th April 2012 unless a pre-arranged deal with Connexin was done. See http://nextgenus.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/uk-fastest-ever-broadband-network-sale.html
Suppliers were immediately contacted and happy to confirm that they had no intention of ceasing service and that they had given no such advice to Devine.
The story then hurriedly changed without explanation and it was then claimed by the administrators that unless the pre-packed deal with Connexin was rammed through by noon Friday 13th April 2012 then Connexin had threatened to withdraw and that might mean that no better offer would emerge.
In reality Connexin had been boasting for several weeks previously of its intention to establish a wireless network in Hull and the Davison-controlled FB Group (NextGenUs Internet Hull) had been inciting NextGenUs customers to not pay their bills and wait for Connexin to take over, so Connexin were clearly bluffing in threatening to just walk away and in any event the pre-packed deal price had every prospect of being raised were other potential investors given any realistic opportunity to assess what was on offer.
Bearing in mind that neither Devine nor Butler were acting as administrators until at the earliest 11AM on Friday 13th April 2012, so what is this unmissable deal then?
It appears that there is a “pre-packed” deal created by Devine that sells parts of NextGenUs UK CIC and Fibrestream ltd assets whilst leaving behind all associated liabilities.
This pre-packed Connexin deal (which remains secret and will apparently do so for the next two weeks at least according to John Butler, joint administrator) was concluded in 28 Minutes flat giving no opportunity for best value to be realised – this means that the joint administrators have failed to ensure the best outcome for creditor or customers.
This for networks that generate revenues in excess of £10k each month without adding one solitary customer.
Networks ripped off from CIC Asset Lock protection in 28 Minutes flat!
How can this possibly represent best value for creditors or community?
Friday, 13 April 2012
UK Fastest EVER Broadband Network.... SALE!!!
The final chapter of NextGenUs UK CIC as an operational business, ironically, has apparently happened at near light speed.
The following note was received at 11:32AM 13th April 2012 and allowed 28 MINUTES for all potential bidders to not only express interest but also deposit their cash, otherwise deal already done.
It will be interesting in due course to find out publicly whose these lucky winners might be.
Hopefully those responsible are confident that given all the information at their disposal that they have achieved the best possible outcome for creditors and the wider community.
John,
The following note was received at 11:32AM 13th April 2012 and allowed 28 MINUTES for all potential bidders to not only express interest but also deposit their cash, otherwise deal already done.
It will be interesting in due course to find out publicly whose these lucky winners might be.
Hopefully those responsible are confident that given all the information at their disposal that they have achieved the best possible outcome for creditors and the wider community.
On Fri, Apr 13, 2012 at 11:32 AM, John Butler <John.Butler@
Dear SirsRe: Nextgenus UK CIC / Fibrestream LimitedI was approached yesterday, to act as administrator of the above companies. The appointment is likely to happen this morning.Prior to my involvement, my intended joint appointee, Fran Devine, conducted a limited marketing exercise of the business and the various networks.Mrs Devine received the following offers. We understand that the offers are from unconnected third parties.
· Cumbria - Interested party 2 - £6,000 plus £2000 over 6 months
· North Yorkshire - Interested party 3 - £6,000
Ms Devine has been in contact with the service providers whom inform her that they intend to withdraw their service today. Consequently, it is imperative any sale occurs today as continuity of service provision cannot be guaranteed and the value in the business will be severely eroded.If any party objects to the proposed sales or is prepared to make an improved offer they must submit that offer by return by 12 pm today and also transfer funds into my solicitor’s client account by 12 pm.I appreciate it is short notice but our primary duty as administrators are to maximise recoveries for the Companies’ creditors.Kind regardsJohn ButlerJohn ButlerPartnerRedman Nichols Butler
Information provided an hour earlier by the company in order to assist the joint administrators ensure that they "maximise recoveries for the Companies’ creditors" is quoted below verbatim with personally identifying data for private individuals and matters subject to Police investigation duly redacted.
Here is a first pass at potential buyers of NextGenUs UK CIC Assets and thoughts on existing bids as I am aware from the Witness Statements prepared pre-administration by devine:
NORTH YORKSHIRE
On page 37 of the Fibrestream Ltd PDF attached, Billybob seems to indicate that devine receives £500 per month for 12 months for unspecified administration costs?!
On the same page (email dated 26 March 2012, 14:09PM Billybob to Devine), Billybob talks about the loan being part of the deal
North Yorkshire - the £6k valuation was previously discussed with Billybob Garrett in the context of including him writing off the £15k loan that he made to the business; it now appears (p33 of Fibrestream PDF, email Billybob to devine 28 March 2012 10:52) that he has separated and is seeking repayment of said loan in full whilst offering £6k for the network as a separate transaction.
This places a very poor valuation upon the network which has input running costs from Nynet Ltd of £500 per month vs revenues of £20 x80 = £1600 per month i.e. £1100 per month nett income.
POSSIBLE BUYERS:
LN Communications, Phil Beadnell, http://www.lncomms.
Similarly Alexander Cliff
3A Dublin Meuse
Edinburgh EH3 6NW
Similarly I may wish to put a consortium bid together also at these kind of prices and am meeting with potential partners this weekend.
ASHBY/DIGBY
SH is interested in understanding the financials and very serious about putting in a bid, possibly for the Fibre network in Ashby or simply the wireless networks on the RAF base and Digby village
Also AB Internet http://wireless.
and Javelin Broadband http://www.
http://www.gigaclear.com/
HULL
I understand that both Steve Jagger (whose number you have already) from Quickline Communications and Joe Tandey from Sure Broadband http://www.
CUMBRIA
There are a number of customers who have expressed interest in investing, e.g. TW
DISCONNECTION RISKS
In terms of the risks of the various networks being switched off immediately, you need to understand the following:
K-C has previously stated that they wish to see continuity of service and would not act impetuously to switch off service;
Quickline Communications Ltd have previously stated that they are ready and willing to provide immediate continuity of internet backhaul at no charge in the event that K-C did cut off service.
And it is important to note that there remain some 360 customers on the Hull network whilst customers have been made aware for the past month that the company has been seeking investors etc to continue as a going concern i.e. the attrition rate is low.
As regards Ashby/Digby, Virgin media have, similarly to K-C, indicated that they have no intention of disconnecting customers impetuously. Customers do not have an alternative fast broadband service available if any at all.
As regards North Yorkshire, again customers do not have an alternative broadband service available and Nynet are not going to cut service as being 100% owned by North Yorkshire County Council cannot be seen politically to be disadvantaging the local community in this way.
As regards Cumbria, the network is under total lockdown.
As discussed I have copied in the CIC Regulator who is aware of this matter.
Kind Regards,
Thursday, 12 April 2012
Bit Bids Wanted
Subject to confirmation by Leeds High Court on Friday 13th April 2012, NextGenUs UK CIC and Fibrestream Limited will go into formal joint administration.
There are operating networks now looking for buyers in Hull and East Yorkshire, Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and the highest bidder will win in order to maximise value for all creditors concerned.
Shortly details will be published as to who to formally contact if WISPs or local communities wish to put forward a serious offer for any or all of the networks.
There would be nothing to stop you from applying to set up your own community interest company in your area and purchasing the assets of NextGenus UK CIC, but the purchase must be for full market value.
Let the best bidder win!
OR NOT?
There are operating networks now looking for buyers in Hull and East Yorkshire, Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and the highest bidder will win in order to maximise value for all creditors concerned.
Shortly details will be published as to who to formally contact if WISPs or local communities wish to put forward a serious offer for any or all of the networks.
There would be nothing to stop you from applying to set up your own community interest company in your area and purchasing the assets of NextGenus UK CIC, but the purchase must be for full market value.
Let the best bidder win!
OR NOT?
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