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The following is a history of UK Internet service providers (ISPs) in order of the date they started trading.
The London Internet Exchange ("LINX") is a mutually governed Internet exchange point (IXP) that provides peering services and public policy representation to network operators. It was founded in 1994 in London. LINX operates IXPs in London, Manchester, Scotland and Wales in the United Kingdom and Northern Virginia in the United States.
Webmail is an email service that can be accessed using a standard web browser. It contrasts with email service accessible through a specialised email client software. Additionally, many internet service providers (ISP) provide webmail as part of their internet service package. Similarly, some web hosting providers also provide webmail as a part of their hosting package.
Pipex was the United Kingdom's first commercial Internet service provider (ISP). It was formed in 1990 and helped to develop the ISP market in the UK. In 1992 it began operating a 64k transatlantic leased line and built a connection to the UK government's JANET network. One of its first customers was Demon Internet which popularised dial up modem based internet access in the UK. It was also one of the key players in the development of the London Internet Exchange through a meeting with BT in 1994.
UUNET, founded in 1987, was one of the first and largest commercial Internet service providers and one of the early Tier 1 networks. It was based in Northern Virginia. Today, UUNET is an internal brand of Verizon Business.
Demon Internet was a British Internet service provider, initially an independent business, later operating as a brand of Vodafone. It was one of the UK's earliest ISPs, offering dial-up Internet access services from 1 June 1992. According to the Daily Telegraph, it "sparked a revolution by becoming the first to provide genuinely affordable access to the internet in the UK".
CIX is an online based conferencing discussion system and was one of the earliest British Internet service providers. Founded in 1983 by Frank and Sylvia Thornley, it began as a FidoNet bulletin board system, but in 1987 was relaunched commercially as CIX. At the core of the service were many thousands of "conferences" - groups established by users to discuss particular topics, conceptually not unlike newsgroups but limited to CIX subscribers. These conferences still exist today although the CIX service has since expanded to include many other features. The service is funded by a monthly subscription charge rather than by advertising.
In the United Kingdom a Migration Authorisation Code (MAC) was a 17 to 19-character unique identifier code used by DSL customers when they wish to switch internet service provider (ISP). A MAC is generated by the actual telecommunication provider, identifies the local loop to be switched, and authorises the provider to switch the customer to the new ISP.
Interoute Communications Ltd was a privately held telecommunications company that operated large cloud service platforms in Europe. On 23 February 2018, Interoute was acquired by GTT Communications for $2.3bn (€1.9bn); and the acquisition closed on 31 May 2018.
Easynet was a managed services provider and delivered integrated networks, hosting and unified communications services to organisations globally. The company was later renamed Easynet Global Services, and a sister company, Easynet Connect, was founded in 2008 which focused on providing internet access connectivity to small-to-medium size companies in the UK.
Claranet provides network, hosting and managed application services in the UK, France, Germany, The Netherlands (Benelux), Portugal, Spain, Italy and Brazil.
UK Online was a consumer Internet service provider that operated within the UK, and began as a dial-up provider in 1994. Network provider Easynet acquired the company in 1996, and were in turn acquired by BSkyB in 2005. The service was closed down in January 2011.
Zetnet was one of the UK's oldest internet service providers and according to New Scientist is the brainchild of Ghufar Razaq and Graeme Storey. It was founded in Lerwick, in the Shetland Isles. According to the Shetland Fishing News, a journal of Shetland's fishing industry, the company began trading on 13 October 1994.
The United Kingdom has been involved with the Internet throughout its origins and development. The telecommunications infrastructure in the United Kingdom provides Internet access to businesses and home users in various forms, including fibre, cable, DSL, wireless and mobile.
Unipalm was a U.K.-based company that operated between 1986 and 2003 that specialised in networking different computers together using TCP/IP technology and was an early promoter of internet technology.
Host Europe Group was an American-owned, European-located website hosting, email and domain name registrar company headquartered Hayes, West London. Founded as GX Networks in 1997, the company was renamed Pipex Communications plc following its takeover of Pipex in 2003. It reverted to the GX Networks name following its sale of Pipex in 2008 before being renamed Host Europe Group in 2009. It was acquired by American hosting company GoDaddy in 2017, and as of 2019 its name was in the process of being phased out.
NetResult is the name of several United Kingdom-based companies.
Easynet Connect was a UK-based Internet service provider. The Easynet Connect brand was founded on 7 January 2008 to focus on small-to-medium size companies with 11-249 employees. Easynet Connect’s core focus was as a business ISP, providing Internet access connectivity, colocation services and hybrid cloud computing services to small businesses and resellers in the UK. It was headquartered in London, with customer service and hosting centres in London and Somerset.
Powernet, also known as Пауърнет, is a telecommunications company with activities in the broadband Internet, CaTV and Digital phones. It is headquartered in Sofia, Bulgaria. Currently the company is the biggest broadband Internet services provider to end-users in the region of Sofia municipality. It serves about 35 000 residential, and over 1 500 business customers.
The Internet Telephony Service Providers Association (ITSPA) is a British body representing providers of Internet Telephony services (VoIP).
David Rowe is a London-based high tech entrepreneur who founded Easynet, a U.K. ISP in 1994, alongside Cyberia, one of the world's first commercial cybercafes. In recent years, he has founded his own high-tech venture capital business Black Green Capital in 2013 as well as founding Hydro66 an Ultra Green Datacentre project based out of Boden, Sweden.
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