Isle of Man - London - Gibraltar

Cloud9, then part of the Wire9 Telecom Plc group of companies acquired GSM and 3G Mobile Operator Government licenses in both the Isle of Man & Gibraltar in 2007 and were then further offered a GSM operator’s license in Jamaica. The platform was one of the very first next generation convergent IP networks that also combined IP (SIP) and GSM calling through one combined number with the benefit of low cost roaming, GSM mobile and VOIP telephony:

During roll-out of the GSM networks the then owner, Lee Jones, was approached by investors who acquired the business for an undisclosed seven figure sum.

The first stage of Cloud9's Isle of Man mobile network launch was limited to consumers who had registered on the Cloud9 website, and included a cutting edge low-cost roaming solution via Wi-Fi Hotspots, along with a secondary proprietary low-cost USSD call-back system to avoid traditionally high roaming call costs - both designed by the group founder, Lee Jones, who also developed the original idea and interconnect billing/intelligent network sub-system which made Cloud9 very unique as a next generation mobile operator. The radio network in the Isle of Man was later withdrawn due to coverage issues after initial launch in the summer of 2007, with customers being offered a refund on any purchased equipment. The company however planned to re-launch the network, but later withdrew from the Isle of Man. Following a sale of the Cloud9 Group by Lee Jones in September 2007, Cloud9 invested further in its mobile networks but eventually Cloud9 sold off the Gibraltar operation and withdrew from the Isle of Man, leaving just Manx Telecom and Sure (Cable and Wireless).

The Cloud9 system continues to successfully offer a custom roaming solution to many users around the world, in the hands of new owners.