In a move that will see the creation of the UK’s “largest” independent connectivity and managed technology services providers, positioned to help organisations accelerate their digital ambitions through a single trusted technology partner, ARO and TalkTalk Business have announced their merger.
With approximately 650 employees and annual revenues of around £200m, ARO describes itself as an enterprise performance partner, delivering sustainable competitive advantages to clients, employees and customers. It deploys cloud technologies with service and has partnerships with global tech leaders such as Microsoft, Dell and Aruba.
The company currently has 8,000 customers and manages over 100,000 mobile devices, 60,000 hosted telecom seats and deliver secures connectivity for more than 4,500 companies.
The merger is claimed to bring together two highly complementary businesses with stated shared ambitions to help organisations navigate increasingly complex technology challenges. It is subject to final approval under the National Security Investment Act (NSI), a process which is expected to be concluded by the end of the summer.
The merged company between ARO and the former business arm of leading UK telecoms provider TalkTalk will combine ARO’s expertise in cloud, cyber security and managed IT services with TalkTalk Business’s established expertise in connectivity, networking and communications to create a broader end-to-end technology proposition for customers across the UK.
Together, the combined group will have a combined customer base of more than 70,000 organisations which, assert the two firms, will have the scale, expertise and resources to accelerate investment in technology, service delivery and innovation, strengthening its ability to support customers at every stage of their digital transformation journey.
Initially, both companies will continue to operate under their existing brands and from their current office locations. The firms said this is to ensure continuity for customers, employees and partners while integration plans progress.
ARO believes the merger represents an opportunity to extend its impact as part of a larger organisation with expanded capabilities, greater scale and increased capacity for investment, enabling it to support customers with an even broader range of technology solutions.
For TalkTalk Business, the merger is seen as marking a significant milestone in its evolution into a managed technology services provider following its separation from TalkTalk Group in February 2026. It builds on the recent acquisition of Planet IT and brings together complementary expertise that further strengthens its ability to support customers with integrated connectivity, cloud, cyber security and managed IT services.
Commenting on the move, ARO CEO Ciaran Rafferty called the merger a defining moment for both ARO and TalkTalk Business. “Together, we are creating a business with the scale, expertise and ambition to become a leading independent provider of connectivity and managed technology services in the UK,” he said.
“By bringing together our complementary strengths, we are creating a stronger partner with broader capabilities, deeper expertise and greater capacity to invest in innovation, service delivery and long-term customer success.”
TalkTalk Business CEO Ruth Kennedy added: “This merger represents another important step in our transformation into a leading managed services provider and brings together two highly complementary businesses to create a leading independent technology partner for UK organisations.
“The market is evolving rapidly, with organisations increasingly seeking technology partners that can combine strategic expertise, operational excellence and broad service capabilities at scale. This combination creates a business that is uniquely positioned to meet those expectations and support customers across every stage of their technology journey. We are creating a platform with the scale to invest, innovate and grow. Together, we have an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in the future of the UK technology services market.”
