317:
The main aim of TNSFC Foundation is to make physical activity accessible to boost health and social inclusion, while also protecting children and young people from risk of harm. All children and young people can benefit from the
Foundation, and sessions include rural youth clubs, fun football skills
167:
was introduced as a digital switching system to modernise the exchange. Harris saw a gap in the market where businesses were introducing voice and data systems to the desktop and saw the opportunity to set up his own business. Harris collaborated with Roger
Samuels while working on a project for one
286:
home, the football club went through a period of unrivalled success. By 2023, TNS had won the Welsh
Premier League 15 times in the previous 23 seasons, making them the most successful Welsh football team in modern history. As the team became more successful on the pitch, so did the club’s finances.
321:
TNSFC Foundation works with various partners and funders to lead and facilitate a diverse range of activities which will promote health, wellbeing and opportunity for the community it serves. The running costs of the
Foundation are funded by investments from Harris, while activities and events are
314:. Following the model of many football community trusts, The New Saints Foundation benefits the local community by running numerous initiatives to promote health, wellbeing and inclusion, including free universal access summer camps which include free meals for the young people in the area.
171:
Total
Network Solutions continued to offer the consultancy service Harris had been doing since 1988, but also offered the design, implementation and maintenance of telecom solutions. The new approach was to take products and the consultancy, combine them to create solutions and then take
191:, Abbey National Bank, and Heinz Foods. They installed high speed lines for various university campuses and other large site institutions such as hospitals or councils. TNS also supplied and maintained datacomms for many early internet providers in the UK, such as BusinessNet,
329:
After school clubs are typically costed – however, TNSFC Foundation aims to make them as affordable as possible in comparison to other provision in the local area. This also allows the
Foundation to work with disengaged young people, who may be at risk of crime,
234:. The funds are being deployed to roll out of fibre networks in the US developing their fibre networks under their fibre city brand in the US, Future Fiber Networks LLC (“Future Fiber”). This has, to date, has included Fullerton, Placentia, East Hartford,
226:. The aim was to offer an alternative to the telecomms solutions of the time, where low speeds and only one provider to choose from was common when the business was founded in 2013. In 2021, The company received investments of circa $ 1 billion from
449:
281:
after TNS merged with
Oswestry Town Football Club a couple of seasons earlier. The team was given the new name, The New Saints, keeping the well-known abbreviation of TNS. Following the establishment of The New Saints in their new
325:
Currently, the
Foundation works with 15 schools in the local area, providing PE lessons and multi-sport after school clubs during term time, as well as around 4,000 places and free meals annually for school holiday activities.
176:, which gave the company an edge over other providers in both cost and the advanced technology. By 1993, TNS had grown to ÂŁ18 million turnover and a staff of 120 people. TNS featured - on three separate occasions - in the
337:
As well as supporting the local youth, TNSFC Foundation has also offered free meals to the older community in the local area and provides opportunities for older members of the community to get active e.g. through
450:"Future Fiber, APG and SiFi Networks' open-access fiber-to-the-home ("FTTH") network, raises US$ 350 million 7-year financing to deliver future-proof FTTH connectivity and smart city solutions across the US"
334:
or face exclusion from school. The
Foundation recently secured funding for a 12-month programme to work and support these children following a successful pilot project.
163:
Harris worked in telephone maintenance, including trouble shooting, and in BT’s computer centers implementing distributed data to the desktop until the late 1980s, when
172:
responsibility for delivering the solutions to business. TNS achieved half a million turnover in its first year. He and co-founder
Samuels imported technology from the
573:
270:
and exited the business he co-founded. At the time, he was serving as both the Managing Director of TNS and chairman of the Welsh football club of the same name.
482:
612:
134:. He attended Buttington Trewern County Primary School, before Welshpool High School. He left school aged 16, securing an apprenticeship with
646:
641:
483:"Construction starts of $ 100 million internet network in Kenosha. The privately built network would be the first of its kind in Wisconsin"
432:
290:
Harris' success at TNS has meant he is often seen as a figurehead of Welsh football, and has been part of the talks for reforming the
168:
of his clients, adopting Harris’ vision. In 1991, they decided to merge the two consultancies to form Total Network Solutions (TNS).
103:
businessman and football chairman. He is the founder of Total Network Solutions, a telecom solutions provider that was acquired by
463:
555:
222:
Harris and Roland Pickstock co-founded SiFi Networks to provide privately funded open access, city-wide fibre networks in the
210:
Technology and Communication Entrepreneur of the Year in 2001 and also a nomination for the same award in 2003. In 2005,
536:
396:
359:
636:
195:, and Level Three. In 2000, Harris became the sole owner of TNS after buying out his business partner Samuels.
318:
sessions for 4 to 15 year olds, and provision for disabled children and those with special educational needs.
414:
556:"The New Saints on winning a 15th title and transforming Welsh football: 'We want to drag others with us'"
206:, which were overlooked by those managing fibre expansion. The success of TNS led to Harris winning the
486:
467:
418:
400:
273:
Shortly after the sale to British Telecom, Harris announced the football club would be moving to
631:
500:
266:
in the qualifying round in the defence of their title. Harris sold Total Network Solutions to
331:
259:
291:
164:
198:
Harris and TNS then played a major role in the rollout of broadband infrastructure in the
8:
303:
278:
115:
86:
235:
231:
188:
147:
122:'s top flight record of consecutive wins, after recording 27 wins in a row in 2016.
518:
339:
239:
207:
577:
267:
211:
177:
139:
135:
104:
594:
378:
263:
199:
107:
in 2005. In 2013, he founded SiFi Networks to provide open access Internet in
625:
559:
223:
173:
108:
100:
540:
227:
433:"APG investment connects 1 million American households to fiber optics"
311:
217:
143:
504:
247:
35:
379:"Welsh Premier League: Champions New Saints break Ajax world record"
307:
287:
Harris grew the annual turnover from ÂŁ40,000 to ÂŁ2 million a year.
283:
274:
203:
187:. This allowed them to secure numerous notable clients such as the
138:. The apprenticeship lasted three years, where he specialised as a
119:
243:
306:
in 2013 to help those in the local community around the town of
184:
131:
118:, becoming the club's chairman in 2003. The New Saints broke
574:"TNS owner Mike Harris hypes up quality of Welsh top flight"
397:"Penny's People: Meet football mad businessman Mike Harris"
363:
598:
522:
382:
360:"Work underway on $ 200M Rockford fiber internet network"
192:
613:"Football club charity offers free holiday fun and food"
214:
acquired TNS from Harris in a multi-million pound deal.
180:' Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies during this period.
158:
322:
funded by fundraising activity and paid-for classes.
218:
SiFi Networks & other investments (2013-present)
464:"Saratoga Reveals 32m High Speed Internet project"
258:In 2005, Total Network Solutions famously hosted
146:to work as part of the maintenance team for BT's
623:
595:"Mike Harris wary of 'change for change's sake'"
114:Since the late 1990s, he has been involved with
253:
125:
202:. This included many areas of the UK, such as
444:
442:
439:
183:In the mid-1990s, TNS began to maintain
55:Buttington Trewern County Primary School
357:
304:The New Saints Football Club Foundation
624:
589:
587:
83:Co-founder of Total Network Solutions
16:British entrepreneur, public speaker
647:British technology company founders
642:British technology chief executives
584:
480:
159:Total Network Solutions (1987-2005)
13:
615:. Shrophshire Live. 27 March 2023.
519:"BT to 'expand' TNS after buy-out"
153:
14:
658:
553:
376:
142:. Around this time, he moved to
130:Harris was born in Welshpool in
605:
566:
547:
529:
511:
342:and local walking initiatives.
297:
493:
474:
456:
452:. SiFi Networks. 28 June 2023.
425:
407:
389:
370:
351:
1:
537:"TNS on the move to Oswestry"
358:Hagerty, Jim (26 June 2023).
345:
230:and from Dutch pension fund,
254:The New Saints Football Club
126:Education & early career
7:
90:Co-founder of SiFi Networks
10:
663:
487:Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
79:
71:
61:
51:
43:
30:
23:
419:Daily Post (North Wales)
401:Daily Post (North Wales)
637:British businesspeople
332:anti-social behaviour
57:Welshpool High School
292:Welsh Premier League
501:"Liverpool 3-0 TNS"
279:Shropshire, England
116:The New Saints F.C.
87:The New Saints F.C.
525:. 31 October 2005.
421:. 1 November 2005.
189:University of Bath
148:telephone exchange
294:in recent years.
208:Ernst & Young
140:strowger engineer
94:
93:
72:Years active
67:Football chairman
654:
617:
616:
609:
603:
602:
591:
582:
581:
570:
564:
563:
551:
545:
544:
543:. 31 March 2013.
533:
527:
526:
515:
509:
508:
497:
491:
490:
478:
472:
471:
460:
454:
453:
446:
437:
436:
429:
423:
422:
415:"TNS in BT deal"
411:
405:
404:
393:
387:
386:
374:
368:
367:
355:
340:walking football
260:Champions League
21:
20:
662:
661:
657:
656:
655:
653:
652:
651:
622:
621:
620:
611:
610:
606:
601:. 4 March 2023.
593:
592:
585:
578:Shropshire Star
572:
571:
567:
554:Simms, George.
552:
548:
535:
534:
530:
517:
516:
512:
507:. 13 July 2005.
499:
498:
494:
481:Barrett, Rick.
479:
475:
462:
461:
457:
448:
447:
440:
431:
430:
426:
413:
412:
408:
395:
394:
390:
375:
371:
356:
352:
348:
300:
268:British Telecom
256:
220:
212:British Telecom
178:Financial Times
161:
156:
154:Business career
136:British Telecom
128:
105:British Telecom
89:
84:
66:
56:
39:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
660:
650:
649:
644:
639:
634:
619:
618:
604:
583:
565:
546:
528:
510:
492:
473:
455:
438:
424:
406:
388:
369:
349:
347:
344:
302:Harris formed
299:
296:
255:
252:
219:
216:
200:United Kingdom
160:
157:
155:
152:
127:
124:
92:
91:
81:
80:Known for
77:
76:
73:
69:
68:
63:
59:
58:
53:
49:
48:
45:
41:
40:
34:
32:
28:
27:
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
659:
648:
645:
643:
640:
638:
635:
633:
632:Living people
630:
629:
627:
614:
608:
600:
596:
590:
588:
579:
575:
569:
561:
557:
550:
542:
538:
532:
524:
520:
514:
506:
502:
496:
488:
484:
477:
469:
465:
459:
451:
445:
443:
434:
428:
420:
416:
410:
402:
398:
392:
384:
380:
373:
365:
361:
354:
350:
343:
341:
335:
333:
327:
323:
319:
315:
313:
309:
305:
295:
293:
288:
285:
280:
276:
271:
269:
265:
261:
251:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
224:United States
215:
213:
209:
205:
201:
196:
194:
190:
186:
185:Cisco Systems
181:
179:
175:
174:United States
169:
166:
151:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
123:
121:
117:
112:
110:
109:North America
106:
102:
98:
88:
82:
78:
75:1980s-present
74:
70:
64:
62:Occupation(s)
60:
54:
50:
46:
42:
37:
33:
29:
22:
19:
607:
568:
549:
531:
513:
495:
476:
458:
427:
409:
391:
377:Brown, Tom.
372:
353:
336:
328:
324:
320:
316:
301:
298:Philanthropy
289:
272:
257:
221:
197:
182:
170:
162:
129:
113:
96:
95:
85:Chairman of
65:Entrepreneur
18:
541:Media Wales
97:Mike Harris
44:Nationality
25:Mike Harris
626:Categories
346:References
312:Shropshire
144:Shrewsbury
505:BBC Sport
264:Liverpool
248:Wisconsin
52:Education
36:Welshpool
468:ABC News
308:Oswestry
284:Oswestry
275:Oswestry
262:winners
240:New York
236:Saratoga
228:Patrizia
204:Anglesey
165:System X
244:Kenosha
38:, Wales
435:. APG.
132:Wales
101:Welsh
99:is a
47:Welsh
364:WIFR
242:and
120:Ajax
31:Born
599:BBC
523:BBC
383:BBC
277:in
232:APG
193:AOL
628::
597:.
586:^
576:.
558:.
539:.
521:.
503:.
485:.
466:.
441:^
417:.
399:.
381:.
362:.
310:,
250:.
246:,
238:,
150:.
111:.
580:.
562:.
560:i
489:.
470:.
403:.
385:.
366:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.