Salt Lake City (June 1, 2005) - IKANO Communications, the world’s largest provider of private-label Internet services, has acquired the subscriber bases of two Texas-based Internet Service Providers, CookeNET Internet Services and CompuWise Internet Solutions, serving the Gainesville and Decatur markets (http://www.cooke.net and http://www.compuwise.net). Both ISPs were previously operated by Morgan Publishing, a digital and print publishing company based in Bowie, Texas.
IKANO will maintain the CookeNET and CompuWise names and build on the strength of the two brands. Subscribers will be able to continue using their existing email addresses.
“With this acquisition, customers of CookeNET and CompuWise will be able to continue using the same services that they have become accustomed to as well as a full complement of new services designed to improve their overall Internet experience,” said Henry Smith, president and CEO of IKANO Communications.
Current subscribers of the two providers will be able to take advantage of IKANO’s complete library of services and will receive significant upgrades to their existing service at no additional charge. For example, subscribers of either service were limited to using one dial-up number to connect to the Internet. As a result of the acquisition, however, subscribers will be able to connect to the Internet using either the same number that they have used in the past or they can take advantage of IKANO’s over 3,400 dial-up locations across the U.S. and Canada, allowing subscribers to connect while on the road.
Some of the other features that subscribers will receive at no additional cost include 7 more e-mail addresses with 20 MB more storage per address, 100 MB of online storage compared to the 5 MB currently offered, the optional ProxyWatch content filtering service, free Wi-Fi access at any HOTSPOTZZ location nationwide, and the BrowseBlast Web Accelerator which increases browsing speeds by up to 6 times.
Another notable free upgrade from the existing services is the use of IKANO’s award-winning call center. Previously only available during select times during the day, subscribers will now have access to live support 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Awarded the “Call Center of the Year Award” by Call Center Magazine, IKANO’s call center provides customer service, technical support, and billing assistance.
Aside from the free additions to their services, subscribers will also have the ability to upgrade their existing dial-up accounts by purchasing PowerDSL, IKANO’s competitively priced nationwide DSL service. PowerDSL will give subscribers to benefit from a high-speed DSL connection while still using their original e-mail addresses, storage space, dial-up account, and other existing services.
“This transition will best suit the needs of everyone involved,” said Lynn Morgan, owner, Morgan Publishing. “Most importantly, our customers will be able to benefit from the size and expertise of a company like IKANO.”
About IKANO
Stemming from the classical Greek word meaning, “to enable,” IKANO is the market-leading enabler of private-label Internet services. IKANO partners with Internet Service Providers to help reduce operating costs, increase revenue and expand geographic reach/product offering. IKANO is the parent company of SISNA, one of the nation’s original Internet Service Providers; Interhop/auracom, offering ISP franchises and consumer Internet services throughout Canada; and HOTSPOTZZ, one of the largest private providers of Wi-Fi hot spots. IKANO served as the official data network provider for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. For more information visit www.ikano.com.
