Hornet The University of Manchester

What Hornet The University of Manchester does

Hornet is an internal network connectivity service operated by The University of Manchester that provides internet access to students living in university halls of residence. Established in 2004, the service is offered free of charge and covers 14 halls across Greater Manchester organized into two operational zones. It does not function as an independent commercial entity and generates no external revenue; instead it is funded as part of the university's student accommodation services.

The technical offering comprises wired RJ45 Ethernet and WiFi connectivity using 802.1X authentication with MAC-address-based device registration. Students self-register devices via the Hornet Portal, a Doormouse-platform-based self-service system at uom.doormou.se that supports device management, content sharing between registered devices, and support ticketing. Users receive a full University IP address enabling access to internal university resources and VPN services off-campus, with integration into the eduroam federation providing WiFi access at 100+ academic institutions globally. Unlimited data usage is provided with no cap.

The go-to-market is direct-to-student: students complete the University IT sign-up process and then self-register through the portal. Support is delivered by student "Hornet Reps" who provide first-line troubleshooting with a 48-hour response and 7-day resolution target, including in-person device inspection. Headcount is approximately 6. The service has no external marketing, no partnerships, no funding rounds, and no patents or trademarks on record; its competitive position derives solely from its exclusive mandate within University of Manchester halls.

Name

Hornet The University of Manchester

Legal name

The University of Manchester

Website

https://hornet.manchester.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hornet is a free internet connectivity service operated by The University of Manchester for students living in 14 university halls of residence in Greater Manchester, providing wired and WiFi access via a self-service portal with eduroam integration since 2004.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

University Campus Network Services

NAICS

Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Network & Connectivity Support (Wi‑Fi, VPN, Dorm/Residence Network) (EDALAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Student Housing Technology & Systems Support (Housing ERP, Key/Lock Systems, Wi‑Fi Coordination) (EDAEAFAO)

Keywords

• Student internet connectivity
• Campus WiFi service
• Residence hall networking
• University network access
• Eduroam integration

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Free Student Service: The Hornet service is provided free of charge to students in University of Manchester halls of residence. There is no revenue model as this is a student welfare service provided by the university.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Hornet is a free internet connectivity service for University of Manchester students living in university halls of residence. It delivers wired (RJ45 Ethernet) and WiFi connectivity to student rooms, supports multiple registered devices per user (including gaming consoles, smart devices, and computers), and provides device-registration, account-management, and troubleshooting via the Hornet Portal (Doormouse) and a dedicated team of student Hornet Representatives.

Product overview

Hornet is a unified network connectivity service provided by The University of Manchester for student halls of residence. The service consists of three integrated components: the core Hornet Network Service providing wired RJ45 and Wi-Fi connectivity, the Hornet Account Management Portal for device registration and support ticket management, and the Hornet Rep Support Service delivering first-line troubleshooting. The service covers 15 halls of residence organized into two operational zones. All services are provided free of charge to students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hornet Network Service Free wired (RJ45) and WiFi internet connectivity for University of Manchester students living in university halls of residence, supporting multiple registered devices per user (computers, phones, gaming consoles, smart TVs, printers) with unlimited data usage, MAC address device registration, content sharing between registered devices, and assignment of a full University IP address for access to internal and external resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• 48-hour response time for support requests
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Ask4: Leading UK managed broadband provider dedicated to student accommodation and build-to-rent. Most directly comparable commercial counterpart to what Hornet provides in-hall at UoM.
• Glide: UK student and residential broadband provider delivering managed internet, WiFi, and TV to university accommodation. Competes head-to-head with the function Hornet performs.
• StudentCom: UK-based managed student broadband provider operating across multiple universities; offers the same in-hall connectivity, support, and content services that Hornet delivers internally.

Emerging players

• Airangel (HPE Aruba): Specialist provider of guest and student WiFi, now part of HPE Aruba; supplies cloud-managed connectivity to UK student residences and overlaps with Hornet's WiFi and device-registration stack.

Broad incumbents

• eduroam (operated via JISC in the UK): Global federated WiFi roaming service for academia; Hornet is a participating SP. Comparable in identity/authentication and roaming model, though eduroam is a federation rather than a residence network.
• Virgin Media (residential broadband): Major UK residential broadband provider that some students use as an alternative to in-hall services; a broad incumbent against whom Hornet's free offering competes for resident mind-share.
• BT (Openreach / Consumer): Incumbent UK telecoms provider whose broadband infrastructure and university contracts create a competitive backdrop to in-hall managed services like Hornet.
• JISC (Janet Network): UK's national research and education network operator, providing the backbone (Janet) and eduroam that Hornet relies on. Operates the wider ecosystem in which Hornet sits.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hornet-the-university-of-manchester

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hornet The University of Manchester