Thus (company)

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Thus Ltd.
Type Subsidiary
Industry Telecommunications
Founded 1999 (as Scottish Power Telecommunications Holdings Ltd)
Headquarters Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Employees 1,700 (2009)
Parent Vodafone
Website www.thus.net

Thus was a telecommunications provider operating in the United Kingdom. The company was once listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a subsidiary of Cable & Wireless Worldwide (CWW). Following the acquisition of Cable & Wireless Worldwide by Vodafone in July 2012, Thus was gradually integrated into Vodafone. This was completed on 1 April 2013.[1]

History

The company began life in 1994[2] as Scottish Power Telecommunications Holdings Ltd (trading as Scottish Telecom), an offshoot of the privatised energy company Scottish Power. In 1998 the company acquired Demon Internet.[3] Rod Matthews, who had founded the business, remained as Chief Executive until 1999.[4]

In 2002 it was demerged from Scottish Power under the name Thus in a deal which effectively wiped out the majority of the company's debts, placing the company on a sound financial footing.[5]

In August 2004 it sold its call centre operation to Response Handling Ltd[6] and in 2006 it acquired Your Communications and Legend Communications.[7]

On 28 May 2008 Cable & Wireless plc announced their intention to purchase the company with an offer of 165p per share: this first offer was rejected on 6 June 2008.[8] On 30 June 2008, Cable & Wireless announced that it had acquired a 29.9% stake in Thus and tabled an improved offer of £329 million, or 180p per share.[9] On 1 October 2008, Cable & Wireless completed the takeover of Thus: the company became known as "Thus, a Cable & Wireless business".

Operations

The company supplied some services (most notably Internet services) to home users. Many of its major customers, which included its former owner Scottish Power and Southern Water (which was also once a Scottish Power subsidiary), as well as Glasgow City Council, BSkyB and HSBC had their business transferred to Cable & Wireless Worldwide.

As an alternative telco in the UK, THUS was often involved, either alone or in conjunction with other telcos, in complaints made to the UK regulator Ofcom about alleged monopolistic practices of BT.

Network

  • National Network built on Nortel Optera LH DWDM Infrastructure.
  • 160 Wavelength Capable
  • 10Gbit/s/wavelength
  • Multiple 10Gbs SDH layers based on Nortel Connect DX platform.
  • Lower order SDH Layers for VC-12 granularity.
  • Cisco based MPLS Network 10Gbit/s capable.

References

  1. ↑ "Changes to your invoices". Vodafone. April 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2013. 
  2. ↑ Companies House WebCheck service, 16 Feb 2011
  3. ↑ Scottish Telecom buys Demon Internet Internet News, 5 May 1998
  4. ↑ Matthews in new venture Independent on Sunday, 31 March 2001
  5. ↑ And thus the demerger finally came to pass Independent, 20 December 2001
  6. ↑ RHL secures buy-out of contact group Thus Precision Marketing, 16 July 2004
  7. ↑ Thus agrees to buy Your Communications and Legend Financial News, 1 February 2006
  8. ↑ Thus Group rejects Cable & Wireless approach Announcement, 6 June 2008
  9. ↑ C&W makes offer for Thus Reuters, 30 June 2008

External links

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