53°36′10.08″N 2°9′36.36″W / 53.6028000°N 2.1601000°W / 53.6028000; -2.1601000

Zen Internet Ltd.
Company typeLimited
IndustryInternet
Founded1995
HeadquartersRochdale, England, UK
Key people
Richard Tang (CEO)
ProductsInternet Services
Number of employees
550 (August 2023)
Websitewww.zen.co.uk

Zen Internet is an Internet service provider (ISP) based in Rochdale, England.[1]

History

Zen Internet was founded in 1995[2] by Richard Tang (then Managing Director, now CEO)[3] after a drink in the pub,[4] and was one of the first ISPs in the United Kingdom. Zen began by providing Internet access to schools and small businesses in the Rochdale area.

In February 2008, the company announced they would not be speaking to or partnering with Phorm, a controversial advertising company hoping to purchase user data from UK Internet service providers.[5]

In April 2008, Zen Internet moved all its employees from their purpose-built HQ on Moss Bridge Road in Rochdale into the much larger Sandbrook House offices located at Sandbrook Park (Rochdale), a move part funded by the North West Regional Development Agency.[6]

In August 2008, after the BBC proposed changing their content delivery provider for their iPlayer streaming service, Zen Internet warned that costs would increase once the move to Level3 was complete.[7]

Zen provides broadband to both businesses and home users. They were one of the early ISPs to offer 'self-install ADSL' and designed their network not to rely on other providers for backbone.[8] Zen Internet are currently a member of the CISAS (Communication and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme), an alternative dispute resolution scheme giving access to independent and speedy conflict resolution.[9]

Products

Using Juniper and Cisco hardware, the Zen core network is run over four POPs, one in their home town of Rochdale, and three others in Equinix in Manchester, Telehouse and Interxion in London.

Zen Internet is a member of the UK peering points LINX, LONAP, MaNAP and IX Manchester. In 2005, Zen unbundled the Rochdale exchange followed by the Bury, Oldham and Blackfriars exchanges in 2006 to provide an unbundled service to local residents and businesses. Zen have six main product areas:

Awards

In 2006, the company won several awards at the Internet Service Providers' Association (ISPA) annual awards ceremony. These awards were: "best business ISP", "best heavy business broadband", and "best uncontended service".[10]

The company featured in the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 from 2003 to 2006 as well as featuring in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 in 2004.[11]

In 2010, Managing Director Richard Tang was named Customer Service Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young at an awards ceremony in Manchester. This award recognised the retraining scheme introduced by the company in the Rochdale area.[12]

References

  1. ^ "ZEN INTERNET LIMITED - Overview (free company information from Companies House)". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  2. ^ Stuart Turton (13 August 2008). "Zen Internet". Times Online. Archived from the original on 2 July 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2008. Retrieved on 20 November 2008.
  3. ^ Internet, Zen. "Richard Tang returns as Zen Chief Executive". Marketing Website. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  4. ^ Rachel Bridge (6 March 2005). "Drink in a pub led to online fortune". London: PC Pro. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) Retrieved on 17 December 2016.
  5. ^ Chris Williams (29 February 2008). "Broadband big boys waiting on data pimping". The Register. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017. Retrieved on 20 November 2008.
  6. ^ Neil Roscoe (10 April 2008). "£2m grant helps Zen Internet to expand within the region". NWDA. Archived from the original on 27 February 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2008. Retrieved on 20 November 2008.
  7. ^ Chris Williams (22 August 2008). "BBC iPlayer upgrade prompts new ISP complaints". The Register. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017. Retrieved on 20 November 2008.
  8. ^ "Trouble ahead for broadband providers". BBC News. 25 January 2002. Archived from the original on 9 February 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2008. Retrieved on 20 November 2008.
  9. ^ "CISAS Members List". CISAS. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2008. Retrieved on 20 November 2008.
  10. ^ Alfred Hermida (24 February 2006). "UK rapped on data retention law". BBC Online. Archived from the original on 7 April 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
  11. ^ "Sunday Times Tech Track 100". Fast Track. Archived from the original on 10 February 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
  12. ^ Claire Spoors (18 June 2010). "Richard Tang named Customer Service Entrepreneur Of The Year". Ernst & Young. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2022.

External links

Telecommunications industry in the United Kingdom
Categories