TalkTalk Business
Encyclopedia
TalkTalk Business is a business broadband, telephone, mobile phone and IT support provider owned by TalkTalk Group
.
, and in 2007 it was the sixth largest ISP
in the UK.
The company was formed as the first commercial ISP
by Unipalm
in 1990 as The Public I.P. Exchange Ltd (PIPEX), founded by Peter Dawe. In mid 1992, it began operating a 64k transatlantic leased line to UUNET
and another to JANET
. One of its first customers was Demon Internet
, shortly followed by the BBC
.
In November 1994, Keith Mitchell, then chief technical officer of PIPEX, initiated a meeting with BT to discuss the creation of a London-based Internet exchange. Pipex donated a Cisco Catalyst 1200 Network switch
which formed the basis of LINX
.
Unipalm Pipex was sold to UUNet
in November 1995 for £
150 million, where it became UUNet/Pipex.
The brand became known as Worldcom Pipex, after UUnet
merged with MFS
, which is later acquired by WorldCom before merging with MCI
to form WorldCom MCI, later renaming back to MCI which was then taken over by Verizon Communications
. Pipex retains contracts with Verizon with regards to the network structure.
In June 1999, David Rickards was appointed Managing Director, when the PIPEX business was transferred to Highway Ltd.
In January 2002 Pipex invested £2 million to get 40,000 DSL users online.
In October 2003 Pipex was acquired by GX Networks
plc, who retained the Pipex name, renaming itself to Pipex Communications plc. Pipex remained a strong brand, and an internet service provider
market leader.
Tiscali UK acquired the Pipex brand and business customers in September 2007. Pipex Business was rebranded as Vialtus and was spun off as a separate company.
Following the purchase of Tiscali UK by The Carphone Warehouse
in May 2008, Pipex became part of the TalkTalk group. The TalkTalk business brand, Opal Telecom, has accompanied the Pipex brand since early 2009.
TalkTalk
TalkTalk is a pay television, telecommunications and internet service provider company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
.
History
TalkTalk Business was formally called Opal Telecom but changed its name on 1 February 2011. Although it has its origins in many business divisions of telecommunications companies that have been taken over including Pipex, Opal Telecom, Freedom2surf, Nildram and Tiscali.Pipex
Pipex was the UK's first commercial ISPInternet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
, and in 2007 it was the sixth largest ISP
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
in the UK.
The company was formed as the first commercial ISP
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
by Unipalm
Unipalm
Unipalm specialised in networking different computers together using TCP/IP technology.-History:Unipalm Ltd was founded as a software reseller in Cambridge in 1986 by Peter Dawe, later forming PIPEX in 1990, as the first commercial ISP in the UK....
in 1990 as The Public I.P. Exchange Ltd (PIPEX), founded by Peter Dawe. In mid 1992, it began operating a 64k transatlantic leased line to UUNET
UUNET
UUNET founded in 1987, was one of the largest Internet service providers and one of the nine Tier 1 networks. It was based in Northern Virginia and was the first commercial Internet service provider...
and another to JANET
JANET
JANET is a private British government-funded computer network dedicated to education and research. All further- and higher-education organisations in the UK are connected to JANET, as are all the Research Councils; the majority of these sites are connected via 20 metropolitan area networks JANET...
. One of its first customers was Demon Internet
Demon Internet
Demon Internet is a British Internet Service Provider. It was one of the UK's earliest ISPs, especially targeting the "dialup" audience. It started on 1 June 1992 from an idea posted on CIX by Cliff Stanford of Demon Systems Ltd. The branch in the Netherlands started in 1996, and was sold to KPN...
, shortly followed by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
In November 1994, Keith Mitchell, then chief technical officer of PIPEX, initiated a meeting with BT to discuss the creation of a London-based Internet exchange. Pipex donated a Cisco Catalyst 1200 Network switch
Network switch
A network switch or switching hub is a computer networking device that connects network segments.The term commonly refers to a multi-port network bridge that processes and routes data at the data link layer of the OSI model...
which formed the basis of LINX
Linx
Linx AB was a railway company which operated inter-Scandinavian passenger trains between 2001 and 2004. Established as a joint venture between the Norwegian State Railways and the Swedish state-owned SJ, Linx operated the routes from Oslo, Norway, to Stockholm, Sweden, and from Oslo via...
.
Unipalm Pipex was sold to UUNet
UUNET
UUNET founded in 1987, was one of the largest Internet service providers and one of the nine Tier 1 networks. It was based in Northern Virginia and was the first commercial Internet service provider...
in November 1995 for £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
150 million, where it became UUNet/Pipex.
The brand became known as Worldcom Pipex, after UUnet
UUNET
UUNET founded in 1987, was one of the largest Internet service providers and one of the nine Tier 1 networks. It was based in Northern Virginia and was the first commercial Internet service provider...
merged with MFS
Metropolitan Fiber Systems
Metropolitan Fiber Systems Inc, later known as MFS Communications Company, was a last mile provider of business grade telecommunication products such as long distance, and Internet access through its own fiber rings in major central business districts throughout North America and Europe...
, which is later acquired by WorldCom before merging with MCI
MCI Inc.
MCI, Inc. is an American telecommunications subsidiary of Verizon Communications that is headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia...
to form WorldCom MCI, later renaming back to MCI which was then taken over by Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications Inc. is a global broadband and telecommunications company and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average...
. Pipex retains contracts with Verizon with regards to the network structure.
In June 1999, David Rickards was appointed Managing Director, when the PIPEX business was transferred to Highway Ltd.
In January 2002 Pipex invested £2 million to get 40,000 DSL users online.
In October 2003 Pipex was acquired by GX Networks
GX Networks
GX Networks began by offering internet services to corporations. It believed that it had developed the first transatlantic IP backbone running native ATM....
plc, who retained the Pipex name, renaming itself to Pipex Communications plc. Pipex remained a strong brand, and an internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
market leader.
Tiscali UK acquired the Pipex brand and business customers in September 2007. Pipex Business was rebranded as Vialtus and was spun off as a separate company.
Following the purchase of Tiscali UK by The Carphone Warehouse
The Carphone Warehouse
Carphone Warehouse Group PLC , known as The Carphone Warehouse, is Europe's largest independent mobile phone retailer, with over 1,700 stores across Europe. It is based in the United Kingdom and is a 50% subsidiary of Best Buy...
in May 2008, Pipex became part of the TalkTalk group. The TalkTalk business brand, Opal Telecom, has accompanied the Pipex brand since early 2009.