Young 32-year-old provider, Jan Sossi (new Assoprovider member) shares what is needed to increase opportunities for independent providers in rural areas.

He has a clear understanding of what independent providers need to consolidate their market niches. Jan Sossi, 32 years old, despite his young age, already has extensive experience as an entrepreneur in the telecommunications sector. A career that began in 2014, with an initial activity in IT support and consulting, which then made a great leap when he decided to expand his business by registering his 2S computers with the ISP Registry in 2019.

We reached out to Jan to welcome him as a new member of Assoprovider and to hear his perspective on the telecom market today and what can be done to expand the reach of independent providers.

Independent providers decisive during the Pandemic

Jan's company operates in the province of Trieste. The entrepreneur emphasizes the decisive role played by providers like his during the full pandemic emergency:
"Investments to improve network infrastructure have all been made in large cities. Nothing has been done in rural areas, and without the contribution of providers like ours, it would not have been possible to ensure smart working and distance learning in many areas of the country. If we hadn't stepped in to fill the gap, people would have been forced to navigate at 128K, with all the stress and economic damage this would have caused for companies."

Being an independent provider becomes almost a vocation for Jan and for many like him who decide to oppose the often unethical practices of multinational companies in the sector: "You cannot do this job if you do not believe in the values of transparency and customer support. Unlike the big players who, behind offers like 'starting from 19 euros per month', hide pitfalls and highly binding contracts, a provider like ours works in a territory it knows, in close contact with local people. For this reason, it cannot lie, as the importance of relationships comes before business, and it has the independence to speak to the customer with sincerity, always offering them the best. By nature, we focus on quality, not quantity," Jan continues.

Tough types

Jan tells us that he got to know Assoprovider during a course by Sice (one of our partners, ed.), and that he joined the association first with a green card, and then choosing to become a member:

"I told myself: 'These are tough guys,' especially looking at the many battles they have managed to win. I joined the association because I knew that by meeting people who did the same job as me, I could exchange advice and best practices. And also to have specific legal advice, which is very complex to find, especially for such a peculiar field as telecommunications."

At the end of the interview, Jan reveals what he believes is needed to create more advantages and opportunities for independent providers: "Two things immediately come to mind. First, more favorable legislation regarding radio spectrum, especially in rural areas. And then providing small and medium providers the opportunity to utilize existing lines, ensuring competitive prices to compete with the major leaders, while continuing to work for the benefit of the territory."