PSINet continued its
sweep of ISPs Wednesday by gobbling up Hungary’s second largest ISP.
The purchase of Elender Informatikai es Szamitastechnikai, which has 27
percent of the country’s Net connectivity market share, is PSINet’s (PSIX)
first acquisition in central Europe.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
With the largest business Internet customer base in Hungary, Elender’s
clientele makes up 55 percent of the company’s user base and generates 75
percent of the company’s revenues.
Elender offers dial-up access, leased lines, Web hosting, site development
and design.
“The Hungarian telecommunications market is the most advanced in Central
and Eastern Europe,” said Harry G. Hobbs, president of PSINet Europe.
“Elender’s market position and strong management team make it an ideal
acquisition for PSINET and will enable us to take a leading position in
this fast growing marketplace.”
The seminal ISP was busy in July and August as well, buying Spanish ISPs Intercomputer and ABAFoRUM in late July and snatching up
Austrian ISPs CSO.Net and Netwing.
PSINet has been acquiring service providers at the impressive pace of two per month and
now enlists over 600 POPs worldwide. The company expects to spend over
$500 million on similar shopping quests to fulfill its goal of being ranked
one of the world’s top-ranked ISPs.
