About Pharos
Pharos: Leading Technical Services Provider
Established in Reading in 1992 by visionaries Alan Warburton and Steve Bristow, Pharos has grown into a renowned name in ferry reservation technology. Now located in vibrant Stratford, London, Pharos continues to exemplify excellence and innovation in ferry booking services.
Name and Significance
The name ‘Pharos‘ is inspired by the ancient Egyptian lighthouse, the Pharos of Alexandria, symbolising guidance and navigation. Pharos’ 30+ years of expertise ensure a smooth and hassle-free ferry booking experience for customers. Reflecting the architectural ingenuity of the ancient wonder, Pharos is committed to providing innovative and advanced technology solutions in ferry reservations.
The lighthouse symbolises safety and reliability, akin to Pharos’ dependable and consistent ferry booking service. With decades of experience, Pharos aims to be a leader in the ferry reservation industry, setting the standard for quality and service excellence. Its historical depth signifies timelessness and enduring value, blending tradition with modernity.
This name encapsulates Pharos’ mission to guide, innovate, and lead in ferry reservation technology.
Our Commitment to Excellence
From the beginning, Pharos has focused on security, reliability, and performance — factors essential to the success of online technology solutions. Our use of industry standards and best practices ensures clients can capitalise on their investment over a long solution life-cycle, freely developing their business as needed and deriving optimum benefit from our solutions.
We have in-depth expertise in integration for reservations and distribution for ferries, along with ticketing and systems engineering projects. Pharos’s clients, including tour operators, ferry operators, resellers, and travel technology partners, utilise our solutions for integrated live bookings, testifying to Pharos’ technology’s flexibility, durability, and reliability.
At Pharos, we are committed to commercial transparency and operate strictly as a technical intermediary. Our unwavering dedication has cemented our reputation as specialists in cutting-edge ferry reservation technology, ensuring seamless and efficient ferry booking processes for our clients.
In the 1990s, Pharos revolutionised the ferry booking industry by enabling operators to distribute via B2B channels. Through long-term service provisions of multi-protocol gateways and front-end distribution systems, Pharos facilitated access to new markets and increased passenger numbers. Early customers, including Brittany Ferries, P&O Ferries, Red Funnel, and Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, remain loyal clients to this day. This pioneering effort made ferry booking possible via B2B channels, marking a significant milestone in the industry.
Nowadays, Pharos powers agents and tour operators in all major European markets, including the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Greece. More than 30 agents and resellers now connect to over 40 ferry operators and Eurotunnel via Pharos, enhancing the efficiency and reach of ferry booking services across the continent. Our extensive network and innovative solutions continue to drive the ferry booking industry forward.
Our Founders' Story
Co-founder Steve Bristow’s background in Mathematics, a Master’s degree in Pure Mathematics from Leeds University, and his experience with early network protocols like X.25 were instrumental in Pharos’ development. Before starting Pharos in 1992, Steve worked on an X.25 implementation for Modcomp Inc. and conducted one of the first accreditation tests for BT’s X.25 network, gaining valuable knowledge and contacts. This laid the groundwork for Pharos’ initial products.
Pharos’s first significant contract was with P&O Ferries, supporting their videotext and Unicorn front-end systems. This experience led to the creation of the MS-DOS Unicorn workstation product, EditRes, and subsequent API-based products, paving the way for the modern, web service-based solutions Pharos offers today. Notably, Steve developed a protocol called IPAPI, which minimised data transfer over networks and strongly resembled JSON—decades before JSON was officially invented. Steve’s academic journey also included being shortlisted for an IBM scholarship before attending Oxford University, adding to his extensive expertise and vision for Pharos.
