I was doing my usual bit of snooping around competitor analysis by looking at some other ISPs website this morning when I made an interesting discovery on the Pipex website.
The first interesting thing for me when I went to the site was that it automatically defaulted to the Business Broadband side of the brand. Now, when you go to have a look at the Residential Broadband products I was a little surprised. One of the first things that you notice is that you’re now actually on the Tiscali website and their Residential Product page.
Tiscali had previously stated that they had planned on using Pipex as the Business Broadband arm, but I don’t think that any of us were expecting them to completely shelve the Pipex product pages in quite such a sensational manner.
With Pipex being one of PlusNet’s rivals over a number of years, it’s a shame to see the disappearance of what was once a strong residential brand, although perhaps tainted somewhat by the re-emergence of the Hoff 
From a personal note, it’s also a shame to me. Pipex were the first ISP I worked for, when I joined them way back in 2002 and spent many a day working on their Technical helpdesk.
Interestingly, the Freedom2Surf website remains unchanged, although similar changes have happened to the Bulldog website.
As a footnote, I also came across an interesting piece of news here, which suggests that Tiscali believe that they will be able to announce their purchase by the end of April.
This entry was posted by James on Tuesday, April 1st, 2008 at 9:14 am and is tagged with and is posted in the category PlusNet News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
I've made the comment on a couple of forums that the new party game seems to be "pass the pipex"
As some may know I was one of the founders of pipexsupport.com - a support site we set up with the blessing of Dave Rickards, the then Pipex owner.
Unfortunately Pipex was purchased by GX Comms who used the name to rebrand themselves and the decline started.
The new senior management had no ISP experience and this was proven by the disjointed purchases they then made. There was never a chance of them integrating the companies particularly as two of them ( Homecall & Toucan) were resellers of Tiscali products.
I have to be careful on how I comment as a lot of info I have came from meetings with Pipex directors and I did have a verbal NDA.
What I do think is that the demise of Pipex Internet proves the need for an ISP to be run by people with experience of ISPs and not purely by the money men.
Personally I liked, and got on well with, Dominic Crolla when he was MD but googling will reveal a banking background and no prior ISP experience.
One wonders who will be the next owner as Tiscali seem to think they'll have a buyer before April ends.
I get :-
Forbidden
You don't have permission to access / on this server.
On pipex.co.uk now.
It's still working for me Liam. Maybe it was a temporary glitch.
Now covered on ThinkBroadband too
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/3489-no-new-residential-customers-at-pipex.html
Andrew eventually caught up with our posts elsewhere.
I'll stick with the final line of my comment added to his editorial.
Unfortunately Pipex Internet has gone down these.
I don't think you can criticise the return of the Hoff.
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