Crosby Communications
IVR, SMS, Broadcasting
Telephone: 0845 200 6000
5th July 2009
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Today


Today, we take for granted that by pressing a few buttons on a telephone we can communicate with people across the globe, and that we can view the latest world–changing events live from our living rooms via TV, radio and the Internet at the flick of a switch.

The communications revolution has transformed the way we live and work, and promises even more spectacular developments in years to come.

The technology that made this possible is the result of the insight of a few pioneering visionaries over the last century.


How it started


In 1997 Matthew Wilson formed Crosby. As a sole trader working from home with a capital of just £100, Matt began by installing telephone systems and internet services for local businesses.

Matt foresaw the explosion of the Internet and predicted the pivotal role that technology would come to play in modern communications. Under his guidance Crosby has grown to become a market leader, developing and supplying communications and I.T. solutions to businesses and organisations throughout Europe.
 
 
Reaching the end of his Electrical Engineering apprenticeship, Matthew Wilson (aged 18) registers Crosby as a sole proprietorship.
   
   
 
Crosby installs its first telephone system and forms a partnership with Opal Telecom to develop least cost routing of calls services, which save businesses money on outgoing call charges.
   
   
 
Crosby launches its mobile content platform, allowing anyone with a mobile phone to download black and white logos and monophonic ringtones.
   
   
 
 
Crosby releases millennium bug applications, including large–scale internet products and small SMS applications.
   
   
   
Owing to substantial growth and the success of its products, the decision is taken to change Crosby's status from a sole proprietorship to a Private Limited Company, founding Crosby Ltd.
   
   
   
Crosby releases the first version of its online billing systems, enabling telecommunications companies to offer customers the option of paying bills/settling their accounts and managing their services through the Internet/online. The first customers for this service include mobile phone retailers, calling card operators and include Atlantic Telecom in Scotland.
   
   
   
Crosby launches a 500–line interactive voice response system, with an additional 250 dedicated fax lines.
   
   
   

Crosby releases its "Combined Ringtone Solution", allowing record labels to include ringtones of the songs they are selling in their respective CD cases, thereby creating a new source of revenue for the record companies.
   
   
 

Crosby releases the first polyphonic ringtones, becoming the first company in the UK to offer real"sounding, downloadable ringtones.

These new ringtones prove an instant hit, and within two months viewers of the BBC's Top of the Pops are able to purchase polyphonic versions of the ringtones of any song that's played on the programme.
   
   
   

Crosby releases the first version of its "Short Message Platform", a system which enables the user to send and receive text messages, download mobile content, and carry out corporate, desktop and bulk text messaging.
   
   
   
Crosby forms a partnership with ISP and telecommunications provider Tiscali PLC. Together Crosby and Tiscali produce a promotional CD-ROM describing their respective businesses and products.Watch this video [67MB].
   
   
   
Crosby adds reverse billing to its mobile services, enabling customers to charge any premium rate text messages to Crosby (whether it's downloading mobile content, entering a competition, registering a vote or even purchasing an item via text).
   
   
   
Crosby bills one million minutes in a single month (most of which are £1.50 per minute, premium rate calls), a major achievement for its flagship interactive voice response system.
   
   
 
Crosby launches "Celebrity Voicemail", a system which allows customers to install voicemail greetings from celebrities on their mobile phones.
   
   
   
Crosby adds Vodafone MPAY to its SMS services, enabling Vodafone users to buy content directly using the MPAY platform.
   
   
   
Crosby announces the investment of over £1.5m into developing a state of the art data centre to house its infrastructure.

Crosby expects the land to be purchased within the next 3 months and the centre completed in time for a March 2003 opening.
   
   
   
Crosby obtains direct connections with all 4 major UK mobile network operators, providing increased functionality, higher out–payments and securing Crosby's business interests for the future.
   
   
   
Crosby opens its multi–million pound data centre, a custom–built facility housing the company's computer servers and telecommunications equipment, and further securing Crosby's future.

Learn more about the Crosby Data Centre

By investing in its own technology, Crosby has now quadrupled its phone lines, doubled its SMS messaging throughput and doubled its internet bandwidth.
   
   
   
Crosby releases MT Billing, a service allowing customers to charge multiple amounts, different rates and different price points to mobile phones.
   
   
   
Crosby wins a million–pound contract to supply London–based telecoms company Intelliplus PLC with software and mobile–related services.
   
   
   
Crosby establishes direct connections with Virgin Mobile, allowing Crosby's customers to offer premium rate billing and other services directly to Virgin Mobile customers.
   
   
   
Crosby and Mobile Crazy TV launch a digital TV channel on Sky from Crosby's newly constructed data centre, a live channel offering downloadable mobile content 24 hours a day.
   
   
   
Crosby completes a connection to Hutchinson 3G, establishing a 3G platform long before the major operators in the UK are ready for the 3G takeoff.
   
   
   
Crosby establishes direct connections into the main BT trunk exchanges. This allows Crosby to handle huge volumes of calls simultaneously, giving the company a major advantage over its competitors.
   
   
   
Crosby sets up its own 118 directory enquires service (operating on the number 118 502), a national service charged at 50p per min.
   
   
   

Crosby celebrates being in business as a limited company for half a decade, having been established as Crosby Ltd. since the 4th of November 1999.

Later in the month, Crosby goes on to launch a suite of broadcasting applications, bringing innovative solutions to a number of radio stations in the UK.

   
   
   
Crosby launches the Mystic Meg Psychic service in conjunction with Broadsystem and the News of the World.
   
   
   
Crosby receives the Investor in People award from the Centre for Recognition in the UK, highlighting its commitment to the continued and measured development and training of staff.
   
   
   
Crosby signals its intent to generate its own green power from its data centre.

Announces its commitment to making theirs the first data centre in the UK to run on 100% green power.
   
   
 
Crosby helps Stan Boardman's World Cup song get into a "top 20" chart position.
   
   
 
Crosby opens a new office in the heart of Liverpool City Centre.
   
   
 

One year ago, Crosby committed to the installation of a green power generating system for its state of the art data centre in Southport, Merseyside.

Through a combination of fuel cell technology, wind turbines and solar panels, Crosby has now cut its power consumption by 45%.

For more information, follow the link to see Crosby's Environmental Policy
   
   
 

Crosby acquires McKay Brown I.T. Systems of Manchester, branching out into new areas of I.T. and extending the company's customer base.

   
 
   

Crosby Communications posts record profits for 2006. The company attributes this impressive rise in profits to an increase in overseas trading and further investment in its own staff and technology.

   
 

Following the success of both its national and Liverpool–based Directory Enquiries services, Crosby launches its 118 501 international Directory Enquiries service, offering access to phone numbers from over 24 countries around the world.

   
   
   
 

Crosby announces that, within 12 months, the company will have reached carbon neutrality. Through the introduction of techniques such as virtualisation and consolidation, and by using more efficient equipment and adopting smarter working practices, Crosby aims to have the first carbon neutral data centre in the UK.

   
 
   

Crosby Communications announces its 10th anniversary. Founded a decade ago as a specialist communications solutions provider, Crosby continues to excel in the delivery of innovative, tailored communications systems for clients throughout the UK.

   
   
   
   
Today Crosby is proud of its 10–year heritage and boasts a solid infrastructure serving customers including Barclays, the BBC, EMAP, Nokia, and the News of the World. Over the years the company has worked with a number of celebrities, including Kylie Minogue, Fatboy Slim, Louise, Damage and BBC Crime Watch presenter Nick Ross.

With a state of the art data centre, and talented staff, Crosby continues to go from strength to strength.
   
   
   
 
Crosby is a small village situated 8 miles from the City of Liverpool in the UK, and is pronounced CROS-BIE or CROSSBEE as in Bing Crosby.

CROSBY takes its name from the Norse word meaning "village with crosses". In 1824 it was described as "a great sea-bathing place, 6 miles NNW of Liverpool."

More history about Crosby the village can be found here
   
   
 

"Communication is about contact: bridging divides, bringing communities closer together, identifying brands with their customers, and companies with their employees. Used effectively, communication makes the world a smaller place. "

Matthew Wilson Founder and Managing Director

 


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