Zen Internet Explained

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Zen Internet Ltd.
Type:Limited
Foundation:1995
Location:Rochdale, England, UK
Key People:Richard Tang (CEO)
Num Employees:550 (August 2023)
Industry:Internet
Products:Internet Services

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]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ZEN INTERNET LIMITED - Overview (free company information from Companies House) . find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk . 27 October 2020 . en . 29 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211229001707/https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03101568 . live .
  2. Web site: Zen Internet . Stuart Turton . Times Online . 13 August 2008 . 20 November 2008 . 2 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230702202733/https://subscribe.pcpro.co.uk/ . live . Retrieved on 20 November 2008.
  3. Web site: Internet . Zen . Richard Tang returns as Zen Chief Executive . 2023-05-09 . Marketing Website . en . 9 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230509120030/https://www.zen.co.uk/blog/posts/zen-blog/2023/04/17/richard-tang-returns-as-zen-chief-executive/ . live .
  4. Web site: Drink in a pub led to online fortune . Rachel Bridge . PC Pro . 6 March 2005 . London . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20110612051553/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/article419873.ece . 12 June 2011 . Retrieved on 17 December 2016.
  5. Web site: Broadband big boys waiting on data pimping . Chris Williams . The Register . 29 February 2008 . 10 August 2017 . 10 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170810140448/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/29/phorm_broadband_isp_targets/ . live . Retrieved on 20 November 2008.
  6. Web site: £2m grant helps Zen Internet to expand within the region . Neil Roscoe . NWDA . 10 April 2008 . 20 November 2008 . 27 February 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100227092354/http://www.nwda.co.uk/news--events/press-releases/200801/gbp2-million-grant-helps-zen.aspx . live . Retrieved on 20 November 2008.
  7. Web site: BBC iPlayer upgrade prompts new ISP complaints . Chris Williams . The Register . 22 August 2008 . 10 August 2017 . 10 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170810133031/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/22/bbc_cdn_isps_level3/ . live . Retrieved on 20 November 2008.
  8. Web site: Trouble ahead for broadband providers . BBC News . 25 January 2002 . 20 November 2008 . 9 February 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070209231343/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1778422.stm . live . Retrieved on 20 November 2008.
  9. Web site: CISAS Members List . CISAS . 20 November 2008 . 1 December 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081201000411/http://www.cisas.org.uk/Members.asp . live . Retrieved on 20 November 2008.
  10. Web site: UK rapped on data retention law . Alfred Hermida . BBC Online . 24 February 2006 . 3 November 2008 . 7 April 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090407082727/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4744304.stm . live . Retrieved 3 November 2008.
  11. Web site: Sunday Times Tech Track 100 . Fast Track . 20 November 2008 . 10 February 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070210151323/http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/fasttrack2002/migration/dbDetails.asp?siteID=3&compID=1114&yr=2006 . live . Retrieved 20 November 2008.
  12. Web site: Richard Tang named Customer Service Entrepreneur Of The Year . Claire Spoors . Ernst & Young . 18 June 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171035/http://www.ey.com/UK/en/Newsroom/News-releases/EOY---10-06-18---Peter-Stephenson-of-Able-UK-Overall-North-and-Midlands-EOY-2010 . 3 March 2016 . Retrieved 24 April 2022.

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