Editing Pipex (section)

{{short description|1990–2008 British Internet service provider}}
{{Infobox company
| name   = Pipex Internet Limited
| logo   = Pipex logo.png
| logo_size = 200px
| type   = [[Subsidiary]]
| foundation     = 1990
| defunct        = 2008
| location       = [[London]], England
| fate         = Acquired
| successor    = [[Daisy Group]]
| industry       = [[Telecommunications]] and [[mass media]]
| products       = Communications
}}

'''Pipex''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|aɪ|p|ɛ|k|s}} {{respell|PY|peks}}) was the United Kingdom's [[List of UK ISPs by age|first]] commercial [[Internet service provider]] (ISP). It was formed in 1990 and helped to develop the ISP market in the UK. In 1992 it began operating a 64k transatlantic leased line and built a connection to the UK government's [[JANET]] network. One of its first customers was [[Demon Internet]] which popularised dial up [[modem]] based internet access in the UK. It was also one of the key players in the development of the [[London Internet Exchange]] through a meeting with [[BT Group|BT]] in 1994.

The company went through a number of mergers and acquisitions and by 2007 had dropped to be the sixth largest ISP in the UK.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.e-consultancy.com/news-blog/362844/oldest-uk-isp-pipex-on-the-block.html|title=Oldest UK ISP Pipex on the block|last=Andrews|first=Robert|date=March 13, 2007|website=e-consultancy.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926013257/http://www.e-consultancy.com/news-blog/362844/oldest-uk-isp-pipex-on-the-block.html |archive-date=September 26, 2008|access-date=May 4, 2019|url-status=dead }}</ref> The Pipex name was used by a number of companies within the group, which were gradually renamed following the sale of its home broadband business to Tiscali UK in 2007. In 2009, the former Pipex Wireless business, rebranded as Freedom4, bought the former Pipex Business, known as Vialtus. Freedom4 also purchased [[Daisy Group]] through a reverse takeover, and the three companies were brought together as Daisy.