IHUG
Encyclopedia
ihug was New Zealand
's third largest ISP
(behind Xtra
and TelstraClear
), before it was bought, then absorbed by Vodafone New Zealand
(the country's largest mobile phone operator). According to 2005 estimates, it had over 100,000 internet and phone subscribers. Before 2000 Ihug was New Zealand's largest ISP but as other ISPs began offering flat rate services, many customers opted to transfer to those providers, particularly Xtra.
Ihug originally stood for Internet Home Users Group, even though the name was seldom used. It was also known as The Internet Group or 'TIG' in Australia. Ihug was sold to iiNet
in 2003 before being sold to Vodafone in 2006 after interest from then Television New Zealand
subsidiary THL and competitor Orcon
1. Its headquarters are in Auckland, New Zealand
. The former CEO was Mark Rushworth, who now works as Manager of Marketing.
The company also ran a small subscription television service in Auckland for a short period.
After Vodafone shut down the ihug name in April 2008, existing customers were moved to Vodafone's own internet services, although customers had the choice of retaining their email addresses.
ihug
iiNet
Vodafone NZ
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's third largest ISP
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
(behind Xtra
Xtra (ISP)
Xtra Limited is New Zealand's largest Internet service provider . It was founded in 1996 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Telecom New Zealand. Xtra has provided dial-up Internet access throughout New Zealand since its inception...
and TelstraClear
TelstraClear
TelstraClear is New Zealand's second-largest telecommunications company and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Telstra Corporation , with around 400,000 customers....
), before it was bought, then absorbed by Vodafone New Zealand
Vodafone New Zealand
Vodafone New Zealand is a British owned telecommunications company, a subsidiary of Vodafone Plc operating in New Zealand. It is New Zealand's largest mobile phone operator, based in Auckland, New Zealand and was formed in 1998, after Vodafone purchased BellSouth's New Zealand operations...
(the country's largest mobile phone operator). According to 2005 estimates, it had over 100,000 internet and phone subscribers. Before 2000 Ihug was New Zealand's largest ISP but as other ISPs began offering flat rate services, many customers opted to transfer to those providers, particularly Xtra.
Ihug originally stood for Internet Home Users Group, even though the name was seldom used. It was also known as The Internet Group or 'TIG' in Australia. Ihug was sold to iiNet
IiNet
iiNet Limited is Australia's second largest internet service provider with over 1.3 million customers as of 15th August 2011. Their focus is primarily on ADSL-based Internet access, using their own ADSL2+ infrastructure, and reselling Telstra ADSL1. iiNet also provides dial-up and voice...
in 2003 before being sold to Vodafone in 2006 after interest from then Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
subsidiary THL and competitor Orcon
Orcon Internet Limited
Orcon Internet Limited , is a state-owned New Zealand telecommunications company. It is currently New Zealand's fourth largest ISP.-History:...
1. Its headquarters are in Auckland, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The former CEO was Mark Rushworth, who now works as Manager of Marketing.
The company also ran a small subscription television service in Auckland for a short period.
After Vodafone shut down the ihug name in April 2008, existing customers were moved to Vodafone's own internet services, although customers had the choice of retaining their email addresses.
History
- 1994: Ihug was started by brothers Nick Wood and Tim Wood operating out of a garage.
- 1995: Ihug was the first company to introduce the flat rateFlat rateA flat fee, also referred to as a flat rate or a linear rate, refers to a pricing structure that charges a single fixed fee for a service, regardless of usage. Rarely, it may refer to a rate that does not vary with usage or time of use...
internet. - 1997: Ihug begins trading in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.- Ihug purchases Dunedin-based ES Net, establishing a South Island customer base.
- IHUG establishes SatNet and Ultra satellite broadbandBroadbandThe term broadband refers to a telecommunications signal or device of greater bandwidth, in some sense, than another standard or usual signal or device . Different criteria for "broad" have been applied in different contexts and at different times...
services.
- 1998: Over 4500 websites on the ihug homepages' server were deleted after the machine was hacked.
- 1999: Then owners Nick and Tim Wood were listed on the NBR Rich List.
- Ihug launches ihugPhone, VoIP-based toll bypass and post-paid calling card voice services
- 2002: Ihug appoints Martin Wylie as CEO to find a buyer of the company.
- 2003: Ihug bought by iiNetIiNetiiNet Limited is Australia's second largest internet service provider with over 1.3 million customers as of 15th August 2011. Their focus is primarily on ADSL-based Internet access, using their own ADSL2+ infrastructure, and reselling Telstra ADSL1. iiNet also provides dial-up and voice...
for NZ$ 82 million. - 2005: Ihug offloads satellite infrastructure to concentrate on ADSL broadband.
- 2006: Ihug sold to Vodafone (NZ operations only).
- 2008: Vodafone shuts down the ihug brand