The power of aggregation

Grant Thom, CEO and co-founder of Echo.

---

Echo was founded 15 years ago during a time when the networking market was crowded with large providers promising end-to-end services on their own infrastructure. But something was missing. Instead of competing by building yet another network, Echo’s co-founders believed there was a smarter way to connect customers: aggregation. “The difficulty in our space, and it's probably the biggest thing we struggle to get across to our target market, is the fact that we don't resell, we aggregate,” says Grant Thom, CEO and co-founder of Echo. Rather than locking customers into one provider’s network, Echo integrates multiple networks into a single managed service that is more reliable and easier to run. 

Echo’s founders came from the pioneering Internet Solutions team, a group of engineers who had lived through the early growth of South Africa’s internet market. By the mid-2000s, they recognised that the landscape was changing. Carrier-neutral data centres such as Teraco were reshaping the industry, creating new opportunities to stitch networks together rather than compete through ownership. Businesses, however, still faced the headache of contracting with and managing multiple providers. Echo’s founders believed there was room for a neutral aggregator to take on that burden and give customers real choice.

But the vision only went so far without funding. The founders (Angus MacRobert, Anthony Southgate and Thom) had just enough capital to buy one core switch. “When you put everything you’ve got into one piece of equipment in a data centre, and suddenly bills and salaries are hard to pay, you’ve got to really believe in your vision,” says Thom. Echo set out to prove that their model worked, but the early days were unforgiving and prospective clients questioned whether a start-up could survive long enough to support them. Deals took time, but the breakthrough came when Echo signed its first bank. It was validation that aggregation could work in practice, not just theory. “The benefit to the aggregation model is that when you’ve got a hundred providers, somebody’s network is always down – but we can keep customers connected,” adds Thom. Most providers have a network investment of some kind that they favour (and then they use other parties’ infrastructure to augment it). We were pure aggregators, and we’ve obviously continued to follow that.”

At first, Echo focused on financial institutions, but risk-averse banks were reluctant to entrust their networks to a fledgling player. The pivot came when the company began targeting corporates instead. By aggregating multiple service providers into a single managed environment, Echo can provide enterprises with the best of all worlds: performance, diversity and resilience, without the burden of managing dozens of contracts. Building communities of providers and customers was painstaking, but persistence paid off. Today, Echo has interconnected 106 infrastructures across Africa, creating one of the most comprehensive network aggregation models in the market. “It was almost a ‘field of dreams’ situation… build it and they will come,” smiles Thom. “We had to find people to help us build critical mass, so that the network providers bought into it.”

Technical depth has been central to Echo’s growth. The company backs its aggregation model with top-tier partnerships, including Juniper and Cisco in networking, as well as Fortinet and Orca Security in cyber security. It also works with hyperscalers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. Locally, key partners include Teraco and Silicon Sky. Echo has also invested heavily in its people, building a team with more than 280 industry-recognised certifications. For customers, this translates into simplicity. Echo’s highly skilled team manages all the technical complexity behind the scenes. Customers benefit from streamlined service, faster problem resolution and a single point of contact without having to navigate the intricacies of multiple technologies or providers themselves. “What we do is simplify that complexity for customers by offering all the infrastructures and options in one place,” explains Thom. “You don’t need 50 different support environments. You’ve got a single partner to call.” This model has resonated particularly well with mid-tier corporates, where CIOs must balance strategic priorities with lean, generalist teams.

Beyond the technology, Echo’s founders were intent on shaping a culture that valued people and persistence. In lean times, they made sure the team was looked after, even if it meant sacrificing elsewhere. That investment in culture has carried through, creating a resilient company able to navigate market shifts and evolving technology. “It’s always going to come down to people and how well we leverage technology,” adds Thom.

Echo’s story is not one of outspending competitors or chasing the latest hype. Over the past 15 years, the aggregation model has proved that networking is – and shouldn’t be – an afterthought. With more than 400 customers, including some of the market’s biggest players, Echo has built a model that scales. It’s evidence that a small team, backed by technical excellence, can hold its own in a competitive market. “We’ve accumulated experience over 30 years, we’ve got a great team, and we’re delivering,” says Thom. “We’ve always backed the best technologies and the right people. That’s what’s carried us through 15 years, and it’s what will take us to new heights.”