O2 saves 107 jobs with 2e2 joint venture purchase

White knight carrier steps in to acquire the services 2e2 provided under the duo's O2 Unify venture

O2 has acquired the managed services 2e2 provided under the duo's O2 Unify joint venture, saving more than 100 jobs.

Launched in April 2011, O2 Unify offered end users full access to both firms' portfolios under a single services model. Customers included Network Rail and G4S.

O2 confirmed this morning that it has completed a deal to buy the managed services 2e2 provided through the venture and 107 employees will transfer to the carrier as part of the deal.

"During this transitional period we will be focused on ensuring there is no interruption to the service our customers receive," said O2 Business director Ben Dowd.

2e2 fell into administration last Tuesday and administrator FTI had hoped to sell the entire UK business until suitors walked away over the weekend.

More than two thirds of 2e2's UK staff have now been made redundant, with 627 jobs going yesterday – which CRN understands includes that of business development director Nick Grossman.

O2 was immediately touted as a potential buyer and pledged last week to ensure customers of O2 Unify would not suffer service disruption.

The acquisition of the O2 Unify services appears to be the first sale of any part of 2e2.

Last August, 2e2 claimed that O2 Unify was O2 parent Telefónica's fastest-growing business, yielding 16 new-name customers for 2e2 in 2011. According to 2e2, the joint venture generated £18m in sales in its first year, a figure that was expected to increase fivefold in 2012.

O2 said that bringing the 2e2 team in-house will allow it to offer design and implementation expertise and in-life managed services directly to its customers.