Interhop Network Services has substantially integrated the national Internet franchise network previously acquired from HookUp Communication Corporation for $3 million in Interhop common shares.
That network, named auracom Internet Services, includes mostly residential
subscribers in small cities and communities in Atlantic Canada, Ontario and
British Columbia. The acquisition complements Interhop’s Ontario-based
subscriber network, by forming a coast-to-coast seamless network of 30,000 subscribers.
Through this strategic focus, the company is avoiding the errors of some
other ISPs that were recently forced into restructuring and bail-outs.
Interhop is responding to trends in convergence of the personal computer and
television by distributing and providing national access for BeyondTV, a provider of Internet TV that
enhances television through one-click access to or from the TV and the
Internet.
It is estimated that by the year 2001 an estimated 6% of the 98% of Canadian
households that have TV will have Internet access in their TVs. The company
is also a vendor of DirecPC satellite-based access devices for high-speed
Internet.
“The near-term full potential of the Internet will be grasped by those businesses who can best bundle services with basic Internet access. I believe Interhop has positioned itself for just this, and will be in the forefront of convergence,” said David Granic, Interhop president.
