OzEmail

OzEmail is a major Internet service provider in Australia. It was acquired by iiNet ISP on February 28th, 2005.

In the early 1980s, Sean Howard was the editor of the Australian Personal Computer magazine and was running a small electronic mail service called Microtex. In 1992, he sold his share of Computer Publications to ACP and concentrated on Microtex which he renamed OzEmail.

At this time, OzEmail (based in St Leonards, NSW) had only 8 staff members and were creating a system to integrate Lotus Software , MicrosoftMail and Novell MHS Mail systems.

The initial network consisted of 16 POPs around Australia.

On 28th May 1996, OzEmail became the first Australian tech stock ever to list on the NASDAQ. With the trading symbol OZEMY, over AUD$50 million in investment capital was raised.

Two years later, OzEmail listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) with the symbol OZM.

Through 1997 and 1998, OzEmail grew at a great rate by acquisitions and aggressive growth wile competing with some 850 ISPs.

On 14th December 1998, WorldCom (later MCI) launched a takeover bid. It was completed on 24th February 1999 when they became 100% owners of OzEmail, removing OzEmail from the NASDAQ and ASX. OzEmail continued its previous strategy of acquiring other companies.

Perth based ISP iiNet purchased the assets of OzEmail on 28th February 2005 and started trading under the new name iiNet (OzEmail) Pty Ltd.

OzEmail is now trading under the name iiNet. It is pratically merged into iiNet, it's site is exactly the same except the logo contains both the iiNet and OzEmail logos for a switchover period.

External links

Article summarised from [OzEmail's history page].

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