A UK-based telecoms company that partnered with Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) plunged into administration. The collapse of IONX Networks, based in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, came weeks after the business completed a trial project with VMO2 focused on small-cell technology infrastructure.

Joint administrators from Teneo Financial Advisory Ltd were appointed in December. A report from the administrators, published at the end of January, said IONX Networks had “only one active customer” when it collapsed into administration and that it “generated limited revenue”.

The report said the company employed 67 staff in the UK and had been hit by “rapidly shifting” priorities in the telecoms industry as operators shifted focus or delayed deployment of 4G.

IONX’s future was reported to have become “more challenging”, according to the report, quoted by industry publication, IS Preview.

Shareholders decided it wasn’t financially viable to fund the business further, although a possible buyer for its intellectual property and some assets had reportedly been found.

VMO2 said its work with IONX had been a successful, small-scale trial, and the company’s falling into administration would not cause many issues.

Virgin Media O2 has been engaged in integrating small cell tech into its next-generation 5G standalone (5GSA) network.

Small cells are low-power, pizza box sized 5G radio base stations which deliver coverage from 10 metres to a few kilometres.

A VMO2 spokesperson told IS Preview: “Our small cell deployment remains industry leading, with over 2,000 live on our network.

“We work with a number of neutral host infrastructure providers to install these small cells across the country.”

The spokesperson said VMO2 also has the largest 5GSA network of any operator and was the first to switch on 5GSA small cells in 2024.

Teneo Financial Advisory Ltd has been approached for comment.