Each month, we will be spotlighting one of our Corporate Member partners. This month's spotlight is with Cellular Solutions NE Ltd, a Sunderland-based communications company specialising in B2B mobiles and unified comms solutions. Here's a bit about the company from Julian, Sales and Operations Manager at Cellular Solutions NE Ltd:
Can you briefly introduce us to Cellular Solutions NE Ltd?
Based on Ferryboat Lane in Sunderland, we are a communications company specialising in B2B mobiles and Unified Comms solutions. We started out in 1995 and quickly grew a reputation for providing first class service and value for local businesses. Although we have always been based in Sunderland, we have grown our demographic of customers, which now ranges across the UK.
Going back to the start, how did the foundation of Cellular Solutions NE Ltd come about?
Cellular Solutions NE started out on Laura Street in Sunderland’s city centre as a mobile phone shop, but we quickly started to focus on B2B customers from the back of the store. Growing rapidly, we eventually moved to our current offices which allowed us to grow our team and focus on the future, which is when we started our Unified Comms division.
What would you say are the core values that guide your company’s decisions?
Our values are Bold/Open/Clear and Trusted. We are very proud to say we have numerous employees who have been with us since the very beginning and having core values allows us to base our decisions on what is right for our customers and our people. Our industry doesn’t stand still and we understand having the right solutions in our portfolio gives us the capability to help new and established companies grow with demand, and at the heart of this is the support we give. Giving our customers an experienced dedicated Account Manager helps take the stress away from our customers' busy lives, as does our well-established Corporate Support team. The average people tenure in these teams is over 10 years, which really makes our support level stand out from the crowd.
What is a notable success story or achievement that Cellular Solutions NE Ltd is particularly proud of?
Cellular Solutions NE was purchased by Communications Plus in the summer of 2021. Previously being family owned, our founder was very particular in who the business was acquired by and ensuring that our customers continued to receive the service and value they had always received. Communications Plus is also a family-owned business which has helped our team in Sunderland transition smoothly into the new, larger company. Since being acquired, we have gone from strength to strength, growing our team, bringing on new propositions to help our goal of providing fantastic solutions to our customers' needs as they grow and develop with the myriad of tech enhancements.
How did your partnership with the Foundation of Light come about?
Plus is well established at working with local sports clubs and their charities in the Northwest, including the likes of Bolton Wanderers FC, and are headline BWFC Business Club Sponsors, Burnley FC in the Community, who they support on many initiatives, and Saint Helens Rugby Club. We wanted to replicate these great relationships and the natural choice was Sunderland AFC and the Foundation of Light, and after a few conversations, we were put in contact and have since started to build what we hope will be a long standing relationship.
Is there a fun or interesting fact about your company that people might not be aware of?
We love any chance at team bonding here at Cellular Solutions and had recently been looking for some fresh ideas. Clare at the Foundation had recommended a fun event at the Beacon based around a ‘Masterchef’ experience. When I presented it to the team, it is safe to say I got a mixed reaction, however it was honestly one of the best team bonding events we have had in a long time and having the pleasure of both joining in and being the judge, I still can’t believe I picked a soup as the winner...
It was such a laugh and we would highly recommend trying it out.
A group of students from the Foundation of Light’s scholarship and study programmes were given a unique opportunity to visit Japan thanks to funding from the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.
Foundation of Light PFA Player Ambassador, Aji Alese, and teammate Jenson Seelt marked EFL Week of Action with a visit to the Beacon of Light.
Foundation of Light, Sunderland AFC’s official charity, is thrilled to announce defender Aji Alese as official PFA Player Ambassador.