Focus Group vs Onecom
Focus Group edges Onecom on breadth and support, though both are credible choices.
Independently scored · last reviewed June 2026
Focus Group and Onecom are two of the UK's most established independent business technology providers, and on paper they look like close rivals. Both serve SME and mid-market customers, both offer connectivity, telephony and managed IT/cyber under one contract, and both have grown significantly through acquisition. The meaningful differences sit in two areas. On breadth, Focus Group is one of the very few UK providers that adds business energy to the stack, giving buyers a genuine single-supplier option across utilities and communications. On mobile, Onecom's Vodafone strategic partner status is a genuine advantage for businesses whose mobile estate is central to the operation, it's difficult to match on airtime access and mobile scale. Focus Group scores higher overall on Compare Business Costs (91 vs 77), driven principally by breadth and support ratings. Neither provider publishes transparent pricing, so both require a quote before you can compare true cost.
Side by side
| Metric | Focus Group | Onecom |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 91 ✓ | 77 |
| Categories covered | 4
| 3
|
| Trustpilot | 4.2 ✓ | 4 |
| Breadth of service | 98 ✓ | 78 |
| Value for money | 74 ✓ | 64 |
| Support & service | 82 ✓ | 70 |
| Reliability | 85 ✓ | 82 |
| Reputation | 80 ✓ | 74 |
| Founded | 2003 | 2002 (as Premier Telecom; rebranded Onecom) |
| Head office | Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK | Onecom House, 4400 Parkway, Solent Business Park, Fareham, Hampshire PO15 7FJ |
Category by category
Both providers offer UK fixed connectivity products and neither publishes tariffs publicly, making a data-led distinction impossible from available information.
Onecom's record-breaking Vodafone Strategic Partner of the Year status gives it a demonstrable edge in business mobile and unified communications scale, with 70,000+ UC seats and hundreds of thousands of mobile users.
Focus Group's higher support score (82 vs 70) and its Hg-backed financial scale point to a stronger managed IT and cyber proposition, though both providers cover this category.
Focus Group offers business energy; Onecom does not. For buyers wanting comms and energy under one supplier, this is an outright win by default.
Which should you choose?
Choose Focus Group if you want to consolidate comms, connectivity, IT/cyber and business energy under a single UK account, or if managed support quality and supplier stability matter alongside breadth.
Full Focus Group review →Choose Onecom if Vodafone business mobile is central to your operation and you want a provider with unrivalled access to Vodafone's network and commercial terms, or if you have a large UC seat requirement.
Full Onecom review →Focus Group is Compare Business Costs' overall pick, scoring 91 against Onecom's 77. The gap is driven largely by its exceptional breadth (it's the only provider here covering business energy) and stronger support ratings. Onecom is a serious operator with genuine scale and the strongest independent Vodafone relationship in the UK market. If mobile is your primary need, Onecom deserves a proper quote. For everything else, Focus Group's single-supplier consolidation story is hard to beat.
FAQs
Can I switch from Onecom to Focus Group mid-contract, or do I have to wait?
Both providers use fixed-term contracts, and early exit typically incurs a termination charge covering the remaining term. You'd need to check your current Onecom contract for the exact notice period and any early-exit fees before approaching Focus Group. If your Onecom contract is near renewal, that's the lowest-friction switching window.
Which provider is better suited to a smaller business, say, under 20 employees?
Both target SMEs, but Focus Group's broader product set (including energy) can deliver more consolidation value even for smaller businesses with multiple utility contracts. Onecom's strength in Vodafone mobile makes it more compelling for small businesses already on Vodafone or running a mobile-heavy operation. Neither publishes SME-specific pricing, so you'll need quotes from both.
Both have grown through acquisitions, does that create any risk for me as a customer?
It's a fair concern for both. Focus Group has absorbed multiple brands since 2003, and Onecom has acquired Olive Communications, the 9 Group, Matrix IT and others. In practice this can mean different systems, portals or service teams depending on which legacy business handled your account. When evaluating either provider, ask specifically which team and systems would manage your account post-contract, and what SLAs are contractually guaranteed.