Big Picture
Technologies Inc. agreed to buy Dallas-based Cool Partners
Inc.’s ISP, e-commerce and hosting division, Coollink.com, for a combination of
cash and shares.
Cool Partners Inc. is the privately-held parent company
of Coollink, a tier 1 national ISP (Internet Services Provider).
According to Big Pictures president and chief executive officer,
Michael Anthony, it will gain more than 10,000 online ISP, hosting and
e-commerce customers who are natural cross-sale opportunities for Big
Pictures eMerchant pro and eClerk.
The company will also gain a
strategic US presence, a hosting infrastructure, and a professional call
center expanding customer support and inbound/outbound telesales
capabilities.
“Coollink’s marketing relationships with Tiger Direct, PC Mall,
MicroWarehouse and others yet to be announced are expected to yield
significant bundling opportunities for Big Picture’s products,” he said.
When commenting on the transaction, Grant Wynn, Coollink president,
noted, “The hosting business is increasingly driven by value-added
solutions. This transaction enables Coollink’s Broadcast Network
Division to expand and accelerate its core business of developing
Internet streaming technologies and to better leverage our proprietary
products such as Demotrac — which provides demographic and
psychographic profiles of online customers.”
The acquisition is subject to due diligence by both parties and the
approval of their respective boards of directors and regulatory
authorities. The transactions is expected to close by the end of May.
Dallas-based Coollink offers access and hosting, with a suite of Web
design and e-commerce implementation solutions. Big Picture Technologies
Inc. develops Internet, e-commerce, and e-service software and
e-business solutions.
