UK Online
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| UK Online | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Type | Internet Service Provider |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Headquarters | UK |
| Area served | United Kingdom |
| Key people | Chris Stening |
| Industry | Internet |
| Products | Internet service |
| Parent | British Sky Broadcasting |
| Website | http://ukonline.net/ |
UK Online is a consumer Internet service provider that operates within the UK, and began as a dial-up provider in 1994. Network provider Easynet acquired the company in 1996.
Initially launching an ADSL based broadband product in November 2004 with a 1MB service, they did not appear to be offering anything out of the ordinary. However, they quickly followed up by launching one of the UK's first consumer 8MB services in the same month[1]. At the initial price of £39.99 a month, the service caused quite a stir in the UK broadband market. The 8MB service was only available in areas serviced by the parent company Easynet's LLU operations. Areas not covered were offered traditional speed products based on BT wholesale products. Along with planned speed upgrades by cable supplier Telewest, the UK Online 8MB service helped spur a series of investments by other ISPs in the UK in an effort to keep up.
As of October 2007 UK Online provided three packages, Lite, Pro, and Premier - all with "unlimited" usage limits.[2] However a Fair Usage Policy applies to all packages and heavy users will be moved onto so called "bad boy pipes" (although this appears not to happen with LLU connections).
Since the regulatory approval of ADSL2+ technology in the UK, UK Online have been able to offer services with speeds up to 22MB, and were one of the first companies to do so on a national scale.[3] This is still based on the Easynet LLU coverage however.
In October 2005 BSkyB purchased Easynet[4] and so now also owns UK Online. Since this purchase, BSkyB have entered the Triple Play market. There was talk of UK Online possibly being phased out but they continue to increase custom and are seeing a rise in new orders. UK Online continue to exist as a separate entity from Sky Broadband.
(This ISP should not be confused with the UK Online Centres [1] network of community internet access points run by Ufi Ltd.)
[edit] References
- ^ UK broadband gets speed injection. BBC News (2004-11-16).
- ^ Andrew Ferguson (2007-10-16). New packages at UK Online. think broadband.
- ^ Super-fast broadband hits the UK. BBC News (2005-11-10).
- ^ BSkyB swoops on internet provider. BBC News (2005-10-21).
[edit] External links
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