Daisy Group

Daisy Group Limited (formerly known as Freedom4 Group plc and Pipex Communications plc) is a British company that sells Internet and telecommunications services, including internet hosting, broadband Internet connections, and VOIP.

Daisy Group
TypeLimited company
IndustryTelecommunications
Founded2001
HeadquartersNelson, Lancashire, England
Key people
  • Matthew Riley, Founder and Executive Chairman
  • Steve Smith, CFO
ProductsBusiness Broadband
Subsidiaries
Websitewww.daisygroup.com

History

The company traces back to the October 2003 acquisition of Pipex by GX Networks, to create Pipex Communications plc.[1] The following month Firstnet Services changed its name to PIPEX Communications Business Solutions.[2]

Pipex purchased AIM Listed Host Europe plc in April 2004.[3]

Pipex acquired the business communications provider Nildram in August 2004.[4]

In 2005, the company purchased Donhost[5] and freedom2surf.[6]

John Caudwell sold Caudwell Communications UK Limited which traded as Homecall in March 2006. Homecall then began trading as Pipex Homecall.[7]

In 2006 Pipex bought Supanetwork for £2.1 million in cash.[8] This was followed by Toucan and the customer base of Bulldog Broadband.[9]

In March 2007 the company appointed UBS to consider its strategic options, in regards to a possible sale of the company.[10] Tiscali UK announced in July that year that it would purchase the Pipex voice and broadband division for £210 million.[11] The sale completed in September.[12] The remaining assets not sold to Tiscali UK were put up for sale at the same time.[13]

The remaining Pipex assets were renamed as Freedom4 Communications plc in March 2008.[14] Freedom4 bought UK based WiFi roaming services provider BOZII and renamed the service FREEDOM4 WiFi.[15] Freedom4 renamed itself Freedom4 Group in August 2008.[16]

In July 2009, FREEDOM4 bought Daisy Communications (founded in 2001 in Nelson, Lancashire[17]) in a reverse takeover. The two companies came together with Vialtus to become Daisy Group plc.[18]

In February 2010, Daisy Group bought the entire issued share capital of Managed Communications, a provider of data networks, for a potential initial cash consideration of £6.3m.[19]

In June 2010, Daisy Group sold its WiMax licensing business which was once part of its Freedom4 subsidiary to PCCW-owned UK Broadband.[20] Daisy Group bought the entire issued share capital of murphx Innovative Solutions Limited, a wholesale connectivity and hosting carrier that was voted ISP of the Year in the Comms Business Awards 2009 for an initial cash consideration of £4.8m. The business became Daisy Wholesale.[21]

In December 2010, Daisy Group bought controversial NHS GP phone system provider Network Europe Group (NEG) for £23.5m.[22][23]

In 2011, Daisy Group acquired O-bit Telecom, which initially operated independently under the group,[24] but subsequently became part of Daisy Wholesale.

In January 2015, with a market value of £500m and 1,500 employees, Daisy became a private company to embark on its next stage of growth.[25]

Daisy acquired Damovo UK[26] and Phoenix IT Group.[27]

In December 2016, Daisy Group made its 50th acquisition by purchasing Alternative Networks plc for £184m.[28]

References
  1. "GX Networks to buy Pipex for £55m". The Register. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  2. "pipexgroup.com". Pipexgroup.com. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  3. "Pipex acquires Host Europe for £31m". The Register. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  4. "Pipex swallows Nildram". The Register. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  5. "Pipex snaps up web host outfit". The Register. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  6. "Pipex gobbles up Freedom 2 Surf". The Register. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  7. "Pipex buys Caudwell's fixed line phone biz". The Register. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  8. Archived 29 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Lucy Sherriff (7 September 2006). "Pipex snaps up Toucan, Bulldog". The Register. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  10. "Pipex puts itself up for sale". The Times. Retrieved 25 April 2015. (subscription required)
  11. "Tiscali buys Pipex broadband unit". BBC News. 13 July 2007. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  12. "Tiscali swallows Pipex broadband and voice". The Register. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  13. Archived 29 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  14. Archived 26 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  15. "Topics | ZDNet". News.zdnet.co.uk. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  16. "FREEDOM4 Group plc: Private Company Information – Businessweek". Bloomberg BusinessWeek. 21 July 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  17. Bridge, Rachel (18 November 2007). "Bank prize helps Daisy to flower". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
  18. "Freedom4 Group plc (to be renamed Daisy Group plc)". London Stock Exchange. 21 July 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  19. Archived 5 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  20. Archived 19 July 2012 at Archive.today
  21. "UPDATE 1-Daisy posts 15-mth loss; to buy data services firm". Reuters. 22 June 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  22. "Daisy snaps up healthcare VAR – 02 Dec 2010". CRN UK. 2 December 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
  23. "BCMS Corporate answers the call of Network Europe Group". BCMS Corporate. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
  24. "Broadband news and help from". Simplifydigital. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  25. "Daisy Group chief to buy out company for £494m". The Telegraph. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  26. "We told you so! Daisy Group slurps up Damovo UK". The Registry. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  27. "Daisy Group completes acquisition of Phoenix IT Group". Daisy Group. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  28. "Daisy Group acquires Alternative Networks plc". Daisy Group. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
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