Editing Tucows

{{short description|Internet services and telecommunications company based in Toronto}}
{{Infobox website
| name = Tucows Inc.
| logo = Tucows logo.svg
| company_type = [[Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{unbulleted list|{{NASDAQ|TCX}}|{{tsx|TC}}|[[Russell 2000 Index|Russell 2000 Component]]}}
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1993}} in [[Flint, Michigan|Flint]], [[Michigan]]
| location = [[Toronto]], Ontario
| key_people = {{nowrap|Elliot Noss (CEO)}} {{wbr}}&nbsp;{{nowrap|Ivan Ivanov (CFO)}} {{wbr}}&nbsp;{{nowrap|Bret Fausett (chief legal officer)}} {{wbr}}&nbsp;{{nowrap|Justin Reilly (CEO, Wavelo)}}{{wbr}}&nbsp;{{nowrap|David Woroch (CEO, Tucows Domains)}}{{wbr}}&nbsp;{{nowrap|Robin Chase (chairman)}}{{wbr}}&nbsp;{{nowrap|Scott Swedorski (founder)}}
<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Leadership|url=https://www.tucows.com/about-us/leadership/|access-date=14 May 2020}}</ref>
| industry = [[Internet]] services<br />{{nowrap|[[MVNO|mobile telecommunications]]}}<br />[[Telecommunications billing|telecom billing]]
| products = OpenSRS<br />[[Hover (domain registrar)|Hover]]<br />[[Enom]]<br/>Ascio
| services = [[domain name registration]]<br />[[e-mail|email hostings]]<br />[[SSL Certificates]]<br/>[[Internet service provider]]
| revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|link=yes}}329 million (2017)<ref name="tucows.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.tucows.com/investors/financials/|title=Financial Documents|publisher=Tucows Inc. |access-date=April 6, 2017}}</ref>
| operating_income = 
| net_income = {{increase}} {{US$}}22 million [[USD]] (2017)<ref name=tucows.com />
| num_employees = ~1000<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tucows.com/investors|title=Tucows investors &#124; TCX financial reports and info.|website=Tucows Inc.}}</ref>
| parent = 
| divisions = [[Ting Inc.|Ting Internet]]<br/>[[Ting Mobile]] (acquired by [[Dish Network|Dish]])<br />Tucows Domains<br />[[Wavelo]]<br/>
| subsid = 
| homepage = {{URL|https://tucows.com/}}
| footnotes = 
}}

'''Tucows Inc.''' is an American-Canadian [[Public company|publicly traded]] Internet services and telecommunications company headquartered in [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]], [[Canada]], and incorporated in [[Pennsylvania]], United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?CIK=TCX&owner=exclude&action=getcompany|title=EDGAR Search Results|website=www.sec.gov|access-date=2018-10-08}}</ref> The company is composed of three independent businesses: Tucows Domains, [[Ting Inc.|Ting Internet]], and [[Wavelo]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wavelo Expands Leadership Team with Two New Executive Hires {{!}} TCX Stock News |url=https://www.stocktitan.net/news/TCX/wavelo-expands-leadership-team-with-two-new-executive-r8tniryxzl55.html |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=www.stocktitan.net |date=14 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

Originally founded in 1993 as a [[shareware]] and [[freeware]] software download site, Tucows shuttered its downloads business in 2021. Tucows Domains is the second-largest [[domain registrars|domain registrar]] worldwide and operates OpenSRS, Ascio, and [[Hover (domain registrar)|Hover]].

In 2012, Tucows launched [[Ting Mobile]], a [[mobile virtual network operator|wireless service provider]] and used the same brand to launch its [[Fiber to the x|fiber]] [[Internet service provider|Internet provider]] business [[Ting Inc.|Ting Internet]] in 2015. In 2020, Tucows sold its wireless business to [[Dish Network]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fletcher |first=Bevin |date=2020-08-03 |title=Dish scoops up Ting Mobile subscribers, taps Tucows for retail platform |url=https://www.fiercewireless.com/operators/dish-scoops-up-270k-ting-mobile-subscribers-taps-tucows-for-retail-platform |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=Fierce Wireless |language=en}}</ref> while they continued to operate Ting Internet.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-03 |title=Tucows sells Ting Mobile assets to DISH, changes mobile strategy |url=https://domainnamewire.com/2020/08/03/tucows-sells-ting-mobile-assets-to-dish-changes-mobile-strategy/ |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=Domain Name Wire {{!}} Domain Name News |language=en-US}}</ref> The billing platform Tucows built for Ting Mobile was [[Corporate spin-off|spun off]] into an independent [[OSS/BSS]] SaaS business, Wavelo.<ref>{{Cite web |title=StackPath |url=https://www.lightwaveonline.com/network-automation/article/14232793/tucows-spins-out-wavelo-new-business-to-target-csp-software |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=www.lightwaveonline.com|date=27 January 2022 }}</ref>

The company was formed in [[Flint, Michigan|Flint]], [[Michigan]], [[United States]], in 1993. The Tucows logo was two [[cattle|cow]] heads, a play on the [[homophone]] "two cows".

== Origins ==
[[Scott Swedorski]], a Flint native, started working as a computer lab manager at Flint's [[Mott Community College]] in 1991. By late 1992, Swedorski left Mott College to work at the Genesee County Library System as a system administrator for FALCON (Flint Area Library Cooperative Online Network) <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://promaxum.com/about.html|title=Promxum.com -- About Me!|website=promaxum.com|access-date=2018-07-04}}</ref> and saw a need to bring shareware reviews to the public. In 1993 he formed TUCOWS (The Ultimate Collection Of [[Winsock]] Software<ref name="PCOLScott">Al Harberg, [https://web.archive.org/web/20031211121831/http://www.dpdirectory.com/3news009.htm DP Director.  "TUCOWS' founder and president Scott Swedorski announced earlier this week that he has resigned from TUCOWS"], November 30, 2003.</ref>) leading all editorial, reviews, HTML programming and scripting.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.notoriouswebmaster.com/2008/07/14/a-brief-history-of-the-cows/|title=A Brief History of the Cows {{!}} Notorious Webmaster|website=www.notoriouswebmaster.com|date=14 July 2008 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-07-04}}</ref>

==Company history==
[[Image:Tucows Head Office TO.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Tucows headquarters in Toronto]]
In the early 1990s, Tucows was hosted on university and public servers (much like Yahoo! and Google were in their early stages). TUCOWS' mission was to provide users with downloads of both [[freeware]] and trial versions of [[shareware]].  Internet Direct, owned and operated by John Nemanic, Bill Campbell, and Colin Campbell, acquired Tucows in 1996.<ref name=PCOLScott/> STI Ventures acquired Tucows in 1999.<ref name=PCOLScott/>

The company employed roughly 30 employees in [[Flint, Michigan|Flint]], [[Michigan]], in 1998 with additional employees in Canada.{{Citation needed|date=March 2008}} For several years [[Scott Swedorski]] personally oversaw day-to-day activity in the Flint office located in the White House building on Beecher Road.{{Citation needed|date=March 2008}}

In 2000, Tucows acquired [[LWN.net|''Linux Weekly News'']]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lwn.net/Articles/264980/|title=Ten-year timeline, part 2: the bubble days|date=2008-01-16|access-date=2008-01-24|website=[[LWN.net|Linux Weekly News]]|last=Corbet|first=Jonathan}}</ref> (which was then "unacquired" in 2002<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lwn.net/Articles/265813/|title=Ten-year timeline part 3: The Tucows years|date=2008-01-23|access-date=2021-01-21|website=[[LWN.net|Linux Weekly News]]|last=Corbet|first=Jonathan}}</ref>).

In 2001, Tucows was acquired by [[Infonautics]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tucows/Infonautics Merger 8k |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/909494/000090949401500020/merger8k.htm |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=www.sec.gov}}</ref> which then changed its name to Tucows,<ref name=PCOLInfonautics>Paula J. Hane, [http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/nbreader.asp?ArticleID=17104 "Tucows Sells Two Former Infonautics Services"], ''Information Today'', August 26, 2002.</ref> a business tactic called a "[[reverse takeover]]". On August 26, 2002, Tucows sold eLibrary and [[Encyclopedia.com]], its search and reference services properties inherited from Infonautics, to Alacritude.<ref name=PCOLInfonautics/> 
[[Internet Archive#Web archiving|Internet Archive]] preserves a full copy of the Tucows Software Library,<ref>{{cite web|url= https://archive.org/details/tucows&tab=collection|title= Tucows Software Library|website= archive.org|language= en|access-date= August 12, 2018}}</ref> with thousands of software titles both in the latest versions, as well as in older versions not yet available through Tucows.

In 2004, Tucows acquired Boardtown Corporation, a billing software provider based in [[Starkville, Mississippi]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=22 April 2004|title=Tucows to acquire Boardtown|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/tucows-to-acquire-boardtown/article1136235/|access-date=16 December 2020|website=The Globe and Mail}}</ref>

On August 19, 2005, Tucows went public,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tucows.com/tucows-completes-public-offering/|title=Tucows Completes Public Offering {{!}} Tucows Inc.|website=www.tucows.com|access-date=2016-04-19}}</ref> after completing a secondary offering,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Download SEDAR Filings - Code Verification and Accept Terms of Use |url=https://www.sedar.com/GetFile.do?lang=EN&docClass=8&issuerNo=00022325&issuerType=03&projectNo=00821031&docId=1544930 |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=www.sedar.com}}</ref> listing on the [[Toronto Stock Exchange]] as TC and the [[Nasdaq|NASDAQ]] as TCX.

In January 2006, Tucows completed its acquisition of certain assets of Critical Path, an outsourced email services provider.<ref>{{Cite news|date=16 December 2005|title=Tucows to acquire Critical Path service|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/tucows-to-acquire-critical-path-service/article1132172/|access-date=16 December 2020|website=The Globe and Mail}}</ref>

In June 2006 Tucows paid $18 million to purchase Mailbank.com Inc, a company that owns over 17,000 domain names for common surnames, such as smith.net and brown.org. Mailbank generates income from ads on its websites (from [[domain parking]]) and also from customers who want e-mail accounts with their surname in the domain name.

On June 15, 2006, Noss disclosed that the portfolio of NetIdentity's domain names acquired by Tucows represents at least 68% of surnames in the United States and Europe, and that the cost of the acquisition was $18 million.<ref name=PCOLNetidentityacquisition>[http://seekingalpha.com/article/12787-tucows-podcast-on-its-netidentity-acquisition-transcript "Tucows Podcast on Its NetIdentity Acquisition - Transcript"], ''[[Seeking Alpha]]'',  June 15, 2006.</ref> On February 19, 2008, Tucows announced that they were launching a "Personal Names Service" using their portfolio of 39,000 domain names.<ref name=PCOLSurnames/> "The launch of the Personal Names Service marks the complete integration of the surname assets we acquired with NetIdentity into our wholesale channel", said Elliot Noss, President and CEO of Tucows.<ref name=PCOLSurnames>[http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080219/to268.html?.v=67 "Tucows Launches Personal Names Service"], Tucows Press Release,  February 19, 2008.</ref>

On August 26, 2006, Tucows won an [[eBay]] auction for the web calendar site Kiko.com. The company planned to roll Kiko's features into their existing email platform.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://about.tucows.com/2006/09/05/why-we-bought-kikocom/ |title=Why We Bought Kiko.com |access-date=2006-09-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027071752/http://about.tucows.com/2006/09/05/why-we-bought-kikocom/ |archive-date=October 27, 2007 }}</ref>

On July 27, 2007, Tucows acquired ItsYourDomain.com (IYD), another privately held [[ICANN]]-accredited wholesale registrar offering domain services through a network of over 2,500 affiliates with over 700,000 domains under management, paying US$10.35 million.<ref name=PCOLItsyourdomain>Jay Westerdal, [https://web.archive.org/web/20071103094316/http://blog.domaintools.com/2007/07/itsyourdomain-acquired-by-tucows/  "ItsYourDomain acquired by Tucows"], Domain Tools, July 30, 2007</ref> ItsYourDomain.com managed 699,951 domains compared to Tucows's 5,919,987, at the time of the sale in July 2007 ItsYourDomain.com's monthly growth of 29,181 exceeded Tucows growth of 21,126.<ref name=PCOLRegistat>{{Cite web |url=http://www.registrarstats.com/Secure/RegistrarMarketShareMain.aspx |title=Registrar Stats. "Registrar Market Share" April 2017. |access-date=2017-04-06 |archive-date=2017-02-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226121019/http://www.registrarstats.com/Secure/RegistrarMarketShareMain.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>
{{Infobox website
| name       = Hover
| logo       = Hover logo.svg
| type       = Public
| foundation = {{Start date and age|2008}}
| location   = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| industry   = [[domain name registration|Domain Name Registration]]
| products   = Domains and email
| owner      = Tucows
| homepage   = {{url|www.hover.com}}
}}
By June 2008, Tucows had a total of three domain name registration services called ItsYourDomain (IYD), NetIdentity, and DomainDirect. Tucows decided to discontinue these three services, and merge them into one new domain name registration service, called '''<span class="anchor" id="Hover">Hover</span>'''. Hover is a simple domain name registration service powered by Tucows Inc, that started in July 2008. All IYD, DomainDirect, and NetIdentity customers are fulfilled by Hover.com.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://tucowsinc.com/news/2008/12/say-hello-to-hover/ |title=Say Hello to Hover |access-date=2010-08-22 |archive-date=2010-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201103821/http://tucowsinc.com/news/2008/12/say-hello-to-hover/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On November 6, 2008, Tucows announced that they were launching Butterscotch.com, an online video network with video tutorials to explain Internet technology, starting with 35 video tutorials and plans to reach 500 clips by Spring 2009.<ref name=PCOLButterscotch>[http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2008/06/c5625.html   "Tucows Sweetens Technology Learning with Butterscotch.com"], Canadian PR Newswire, November 6, 2008.</ref> On October 14, 2011, Butterscotch.com producer Sean Carruthers stated production had been shut down.<ref>[https://twitter.com/globalhermit/status/127544152660520960 Twitter-Sean Carruthers. Butterscotch shut-down]</ref>

In December 2014, Tucows launched RealNames, offering e-mail service using domain names acquired from Mailbank.com Inc.

On January 20, 2017, the company acquired [[eNom]] for $83.5 million, making Tucows the second-largest domain registrar in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tucows.com/tucows-inc-to-acquire-enom-from-rightside/|title=Tucows Inc. To Acquire eNom from Rightside|website=Tucows.com|access-date=2017-04-06|archive-date=2017-02-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202044845/http://www.tucows.com/tucows-inc-to-acquire-enom-from-rightside/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The company announced in January 2021 it was shuttering its Downloads business, as it was no longer essential to the rest of the company's business, but had transferred all of its assets and content to the [[Internet Archive]] prior to its closure.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.engadget.com/tucows-downloads-has-finally-been-shut-down-103036388.html | title = Tucows closes its once-popular software download site | first=  Nick | last = Summers | date = January 22, 2021 | access-date = January 22, 2021 | work = [[Engadget]] }}</ref>

==Business lines==
In July 2008, Tucows [[rebranding|rebranded]] its wholesale services as "Open SRS".<ref name=PCOLOpensrs>[http://opensrs.com/blog/2008/07/re-introducing-opensrs  "Re-introducing OpenSRS"], Open SRS Reseller Blog,  July 28, 2008.</ref>

As of July 2023, Tucows is the third-largest accredited registrar in the world.<ref>https://domainnamestat.com/statistics/registrar/others Domain name registrations, by registrar</ref>

===Domain portfolio management===
Tucows has three sources of income from its domain portfolio: 1) Advertising from pages of domains within their domain name portfolio;<ref name=PCOLDirectnavigation/> 2) Sales of domains from their portfolio, which is constantly being replenished;<ref name=PCOLTucowssells>[http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070619/to240.html?.v=53   "Tucows Sells 2,500 Domain Names"], PRNewswire-FirstCall, June 19, 2007.</ref> 3) Auction of the steady stream of thousands of domain names that expire every day and become available for resale.<ref name=PCOLAfternic/>

On November 14, 2007, Tucows disclosed that they offer [[pay-per-click]] advertising on the pages of domains within their domain name portfolio.<ref name=PCOLDirectnavigation/> When a user types one of these domain names into the address of the browser (direct navigation), they are presented with dynamically generated links which are pay-per-click advertising.<ref name=PCOLDirectnavigation/> Every time a user clicks on one of the links listed on a web page, it generates revenue for Tucows through its partnership with third parties who provide syndicated pay-per-click results.<ref name=PCOLDirectnavigation>[http://biz.yahoo.com/e/071114/tcx10-q.html SEC Filings for TCX.  "Form 10-Q for TUCOWS INC /PA/"],  November 14, 2007.</ref>

On February 7, 2008, Tucows disclosed that it had switched from [[Google Ads]] to a new advertising partner in 2007, which led to a one-third increase in its revenue.<ref name=PCOLQ42008>[http://seekingalpha.com/article/63693-tucows-inc-q4-2007-earnings-call-transcript "Tucows Inc. Q4 2007 Earnings Call Transcript"], ''Seeking Alpha'',  February 7, 2008.</ref>

On May 7, 2008, Tucows announced it put a process in place for the regular sale of direct navigation names.<ref name=PCOLSalesprocess>[http://seekingalpha.com/article/76205-tucows-inc-q1-2002-earnings-call-transcript?source=yahoo&page=-1  "Tucows Inc. Q1 2008 Earnings Call Transcript"], ''Seeking Alpha'', May 7, 2008.</ref> These domain names would come from names that expire each month from customers who decide they no longer want the domain names and that Tucows is able to select the ones they want to keep from these domain names.<ref name=PCOLRbc>[http://www.wsw.com/webcast/rbc99/tc.to/ "RBC Capital Markets Growth Conference"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219004431/http://www.wsw.com/webcast/rbc99/tc.to/ |date=2008-12-19 }}, Tucows Presentation,  October 27, 2008.</ref>

Tucows announced on June 12, 2008, that they have reached an agreement with Afternic to auction Tucows’ large daily inventory of expired domain names.<ref name=PCOLAfternic/> "We have over eight million domains under management and thousands expiring every day, so this deal provides us with a great way to share revenue with our resellers while participating in Afternic’s popular secondary domain name marketplace”, said Bill Sweetman, General Manager of Tucows Domain Portfolio.<ref name=PCOLAfternic>[http://about.tucows.com/media/news/tucows-collaborates-with-namemedia%E2%80%99s-afterniccom-to-auction-daily-inventory-of-expired-domain-names/  "Tucows Collaborates With Namemedia’s Afternic.Com To Auction Daily Inventory Of Expired Domain Names"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080615031721/http://about.tucows.com/media/news/tucows-collaborates-with-namemedia%E2%80%99s-afterniccom-to-auction-daily-inventory-of-expired-domain-names/ |date=2008-06-15 }},  Tucows Press Release, June 12, 2008.</ref>  Tucows will share 10% of the gross sale price with the reseller for the sale of expired domains that were originally registered through the reseller.<ref name=PCOLExpireddomainauction/> Revenue will be shared automatically without the reseller having to take any additional action.<ref name=PCOLExpireddomainauction>[http://about.tucows.com/2008/06/12/tucows-and-afterniccom-team-up-for-expired-domain-auction  "Tucows and Afternic.com Team Up for Expired Domain Auction"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080615024613/http://about.tucows.com/2008/06/12/tucows-and-afterniccom-team-up-for-expired-domain-auction/ |date=2008-06-15 }}, Tucows Corporate blog,  June 12, 2008.</ref> Tucows chose Afternic as a partner even though SnapNames with Register.com and NameJet with NetSol/eNom are the dominant players in expired domains.<ref name=PCOLSmbmarket>[http://domainnamewire.com/2008/06/12/tucows-and-afternic-deal-qa  "Tucows and Afternic Deal Q&A"], Domain Name Wire, June 12, 2008.</ref>

On October 29, 2008, Tucows announced that it would begin direct sales from their inventory of premium domain names under the brand name of Yummy Names.<ref name="PCOLYummy">{{Cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/|title=Yahoo Finance - Stock Market Live, Quotes, Business & Finance News|website=finance.yahoo.com}}</ref> The service was created especially for marketers to obtain a high-quality domain name from Tucows inventory.<ref name=PCOLYummy/> Customers have the option of purchasing a premium domain name outright or leasing the name.<ref name=PCOLYummy/> In 2009 one of Tucows' subsidiaries, Buy<!--to avoid false positives when searching for domainsquatted URLs in references-->domains Holdings, sold another premium [[domain name]] for a record $50,000 for [[Myhomepage]].com.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://domainnamewire.com/2009/05/19/myhomepagecom-sells-for-50000/|title=MyHomePage.com Sells for $50,000 - Domain Name Wire &#124; Domain Name News}}</ref>

On February 20, 2008, Tucows announced a portfolio of over 1,000 [[domain names]] that have the high potential value such as "Jewellers.com", "Actresses.com", "BasketballPlayers.com", and "ProjectManagers.com".<ref name=PCOLkeydomainnames>{{Cite web |url=http://about.tucows.com/media/news/tucows-reveals-key-domain-name-portfolio-assets |title="Tucows Reveals Key Domain Name Portfolio Assets", Tucows Press Release, February 20, 2008. |access-date=February 20, 2008 |archive-date=March 4, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080304194009/http://about.tucows.com/media/news/tucows-reveals-key-domain-name-portfolio-assets/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In February 2008, Tucows successfully defended against an arbitration proceeding over Batchelor.com, which it had acquired as part of its NetIdentity purchase. The complaint had been filed by Ken Batchelor Cadillac Company, a [[car dealership]]. A [[National Arbitration Forum]] panel determined that the dealership had not established rights in the mark "Batchelor". In fact, Tucows has won all surname-related arbitration proceedings.<ref name=PCOLBatchelor>{{Cite web|url=https://domainnamewire.com/2008/02/28/tucows-fights-off-car-dealership/|title=Tucows Fights off Car Dealership|date=February 28, 2008}}</ref>

In 2007, Weidner Investment Services filed a complaint claiming that Weidner was its [[trademark]] or [[service mark]] and asked the [[National Arbitration Forum]] to order the transfer of Weidner.com from Tucows to Weidner.<ref name=PCOLWeider/>  Tucows failed to respond, and the National Arbitration Forum ordered Tucows to transfer Weidner.com to Weidner Investment Services.<ref name=PCOLWeider>[http://www.arb-forum.com/domains/decisions/1080246.htm "''Weidner Investment Services, Inc. v. Tucows.com Co.''"  Claim Number: FA0709001080246], National Arbitration Forum,  November 7, 2007.</ref>

In January 2017, [[eNom]] was sold to Canadian domain seller Tucows for $83.5M Canadian.<ref name="GW01">{{cite web|url=http://www.geekwire.com/2017/rightside-group-sells-enom-domain-registrar-83-5m-canadian-internet-firm-tucows/|title=Rightside Group sells eNom domain registrar for $83.5M to Canadian internet firm Tucows|last=Richman|first=Dan|date=January 20, 2017|publisher=GeekWire|access-date=2 March 2017}}</ref><ref name="TU01">{{cite web|url=http://www.tucows.com/tucows-inc-to-acquire-enom-from-rightside/|title=Tucows Inc. To Acquire eNom from Rightside|last=Arruda|first=Gustavo|date=January 20, 2017|publisher=Tucows|access-date=2 March 2017|location=Toronto, ON|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202044845/http://www.tucows.com/tucows-inc-to-acquire-enom-from-rightside/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Email services===
Tucows provides millions of email boxes through their network of over 9,000 service providers.<ref name=PCOLemail>[http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080131/to207.html?.v=62  "Tucows Announces Enhancement to the Tucows Email Service"], Tucows Press Release,  January 31, 2008.</ref> Customers of Tucows fully hosted email service are provided with POP3, IMAP, WAP and webmail access.<ref name=PCOLemail/> Providers using Tucows Email Service have the option of using Tucows' spam and virus filtering with their current email infrastructure.<ref name=PCOLemail/>

As part of the NetIdentity acquisition, Tucows had problems [[Data migration|migrating]] retail customers' email from a third-party provider to Tucows in-house mail systems in September 2006.<ref name=PCOLItworld>Joel Shore, [http://www.itworld.com/Man/3917/nls_solutions060928 "System migration may be the most dangerous thing you ever do"], ''IT World'',  September 26, 2006.</ref>

Starting August 12, 2008, Tucows Email Service running on their servers designated as Cluster A experienced a multi-day outage lasting until August 15, 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://opensrs.com/blog/2008/08/update-on-cluster-a-email-service-issues/|title=OpenSRS Blog - Update on Cluster A Email Service Issues, August 13, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://opensrs.com/blog/2008/08/closing-notes-on-the-cluster-a-email-service-interruption|title=OpenSRS Blog - Closing Notes on the Cluster A Email Service Interruption, August 18, 2008|access-date=October 8, 2008|archive-date=November 22, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122182943/http://opensrs.com/blog/2008/08/closing-notes-on-the-cluster-a-email-service-interruption/|url-status=dead}}</ref> On October 6, 2008, Cluster A again suffered another multi-day outage affecting at least 50% of users and at times all users.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://opensrs.com/blog/2008/10/cluster-a-email-service-issues | title= OpenSRS Blog - Cluster A Email Service Issues | access-date= 2008-10-08 | archive-date= 2008-11-22 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081122150413/http://opensrs.com/blog/2008/10/cluster-a-email-service-issues/ | url-status= dead }}</ref> As of the afternoon of October 9, 2008, this cluster was still partially down ("degraded") preventing an unknown number of users from being able to retrieve email.<ref name=PCOLYazwinksi>{{cite web| url=http://blip.tv/file/1341576| title=Video of Rick Yazwinksi explaining Email issues| access-date=2008-10-09| archive-date=2008-10-12| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012015552/http://blip.tv/file/1341576| url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Retail services===
Tucows sells services to consumers and small businesses and offers personalized email through net identity.<ref name=PCOLQ42008/> Tucows also offers customers hosting and other services with NetIdentity. Tucows also expected to receive income for [[pay per click]] advertising revenue from [[domain parking]] the surnames.<ref name=PCOLNetidentityacquisition/>

===Mobile phone services===
In February 2012, Tucows launched a new [[mobile virtual network operator]] in the United States known as [[Ting Inc.|Ting]], which resells voice and data services on the [[T-Mobile US]] network. As of July 2018, the service had approximately 286,000 subscribers.

In 2017, Tucows acquired Canadian [[Mobile virtual network operator|MVNO]] Roam Mobility from Otono Networks.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gibbs |first=Colin |date=2017-09-27 |title=Tucows acquires Roam Mobility from Otono Networks |url=https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/tucows-acquires-roam-mobility-from-otono-networks |access-date=2022-06-02 |website=Fierce Wireless |language=en}}</ref> Roam Mobility ran for three years until it was shut down in June 2020, likely due to travel slowdown from the [[COVID-19 pandemic|COVID-19]] pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-05-27 |title=Roam Mobility ceasing operations June 30, 2020 |url=https://mobilesyrup.com/2020/05/27/roam-mobility-ceasing-operations-permanently-june-30-2020/ |access-date=2022-06-02 |website=MobileSyrup |language=en}}</ref>

On August 3, 2020, Tucows announced that it would sell the Ting Mobile business to [[Dish Network]] (owner of [[Boost Mobile]]) and serve as its provider of backend services for its new wireless businesses.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kastrenakes|first=Jacob|date=2020-08-03|title=Dish's next step into wireless service is buying another small provider|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/3/21352496/dish-ting-mobile-acquisition-tucows-network-tech|access-date=2020-08-03|website=The Verge|language=en}}</ref>

As of 2022, Tucows no longer runs its mobile phone service and has shifted focus to software enablement for other providers.

===Internet services===
On December 15, 2014, Tucows announced its acquisition of the [[Charlottesville, Virginia]] ISP Blue Ridge InternetWorks, which was building a [[Fiber to the premises in the United States|fiber to the home]] network. The services were brought under Tucows' Ting branding.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/ting-mobile-follows-google-into-gigabit-broadband-biz/|title=Ting Mobile follows Google into gigabit-broadband biz|last=Reardon|first=Marguerite|work=[[CNET]]|date=2014-12-16|access-date=2016-06-23}}</ref> They began offering symmetrical gigabit fiber internet without bandwidth caps. Since expanding the existing fiber network in Charlottesville, Ting Internet is currently in 12 markets with more on the way.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ting Internet - Crazy fast fiber Internet for US cities |url=https://ting.com/internet |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=ting.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Broadband World News - Ting Internet launches in fourth Southern California market |url=https://www.broadbandworldnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=775342 |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=Broadband World News}}</ref>

=== Software (SaaS) ===
In January 2022, Tucows launched Wavelo, a [[software as a service]] (SaaS) company that builds telecom billing and operations software for [[Mobile virtual network operator|Mobile Virtual Network Operators]] and Fiber Internet Services. They have two products: MONOS (Mobile Network Operating System) currently used by [[Dish Network]] and ISOS (Internet Services Operating System) currently used by Ting Internet.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marek |first=Sue |date=2022-01-26 |title=Tucows takes on the OSS/BSS business with Wavelo |url=https://www.fiercetelecom.com/cloud/tucows-takes-ossbss-business-wavelo |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=Fierce Telecom |language=en}}</ref>

==De-emphasis and divestment of business lines==

===De-emphasis of software downloads===
Tucows maintained a download archive that included more than 30,000 software titles in its worldwide network of partner sites. Although some listing features now have fees, basic listing remains free. Tucows founder Scott Swedorski announced his resignation in November 2003.<ref name=PCOLScott/> On March 10, 2006, Tucows Content division closed its satellite office located in [[Flint, Michigan|Flint]], [[Michigan]], and relocated the remaining editorial functions to its corporate head office in Toronto. On February 7, 2008, Tucows disclosed that Tucows plans to de-emphasize the software download aspect of their business.<ref name=PCOLQ42008/> The download service was finally closed down in January 2021.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210121184559/https://tucows.com/retired/ Retiring Tucows Downloads], tucows.com, 21 January 2021, archived at the Wayback Machine</ref>

===Divestment of web hosting accounts===
On May 6, 2008, Tucows announced that they are getting out of the web hosting business.<ref name=PCOLhostingdivestment>[http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080506/to431.html?.v=38   "Hostopia to acquire certain shared hosting customer assets of Tucows Retail Service Group"], Tucows Press Release,  May 6, 2008.</ref> As part of the divestment Tucows signed an agreement for Hostopia to purchase about 14,000 Domain Direct, NetIdentity and ItsYourDomain.com (IYD) customer web hosting accounts and would migrate the web hosting accounts to Hostopia's unified web service platform by July 2008.<ref name=PCOLhostingdivestment/>

===Divestment of equity interest in Afilias===
On November 5, 2008, Tucows announced that it was selling its entire 7.38% equity interest in [[Afilias]] for $7.4 million.<ref name="PCOLYummy"/> Afilias is the registry operator of the [[.info]] and [[.aero]] TLDs, and the service provider of the [[.org]] [[generic top-level domain]] (gTLD), [[.mobi]] mobile phone TLD, and a provider of domain name registry services for several countries around the world, including .AG (Antigua and Barbuda), .BZ (Belize), .GI (Gibraltar), .HN (Honduras), .IN (India), .ME (Montenegro), .SC (the Seychelles), and .VC (St. Vincent and the Grenadines).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://afilias.info/global-registry-services|title=Global Registry Services &#124; Afilias|website=afilias.info}}</ref>

==Reputation==

===Domain name add grace period (AGP) abuse===
On January 8, 2008, Tucows explained its values and position on [[domain name front running]]: "We work to uphold the rights of Registrants. That means, for example, not putting 60-day locks on domains when a Registrant makes a change to their [[WHOIS]] information effectively locking some into a renewal and blocking domain name transfers to other Registrars. That also means having a clear, defined policy surrounding expiry and redemption periods."<ref name=PCOLKoole/> Tucows addresses [[domain tasting]] "by charging our Resellers a monetary fee on domain name registrations that are cancelled within the five-day Add Grace Period (AGP)", but it "doesn’t use WHOIS query data or search data from our [[application programming interface|API]] to front-run domain names".<ref name=PCOLKoole>James Koole, [http://about.tucows.com/2008/01/08/registrar-reputation-and-trust/ "Registrar Reputation and Trust"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080112155854/http://about.tucows.com/2008/01/08/registrar-reputation-and-trust/ |date=2008-01-12 }},  January 8, 2008.</ref>

Although it supports [[ICANN]]’s fee to discourage [[domain tasting]] and [[Google]]'s decision to drop names added and deleted during the AGP from its [[AdSense]] program, Tucows claimed that AGP abuse could be further curbed by shortening the AGP period to 12 hours or less, sufficient time for registrants to correct spelling mistakes—AGP's original purpose.<ref name=PCOLIcannproposed>Adam Eisner, [http://about.tucows.com/2008/01/30/icann-proposed-tasting-fee-a-good-first-step/  "ICANN Proposed Tasting Fee a Good First Step"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080210084515/http://about.tucows.com/2008/01/30/icann-proposed-tasting-fee-a-good-first-step/ |date=2008-02-10 }}, Tucows Blog, January 30, 2008.</ref>

===Registrations to sites selling illegal goods and connections to terrorism===

In 2015, the [[U.S. Trade Representative]] included Tucows on its annual "notorious markets" list—the first time it has named a [[domain name registrar]]—in order to set an example for what happens to registrars that do not block or suspend sites that sell illegal goods.<ref>{{cite web|title=2014 Out-of-Cycle Review of Notorious Markets|url=https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/2014%20Notorious%20Markets%20List%20-%20Published_0.pdf|website=ustr.gov|date=5 March 2015}}</ref> Tucows responded that it suspended dozens of sites every day, but that "unlike some competitors, it considered all complaints carefully to ensure they were justified".<ref>{{cite news|author1=Krista Hughes |title= U.S. says inaction on online piracy risks public safety|url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-piracy-idUSKBN0M121F20150305 |work=Reuters |date=March 5, 2015}}</ref>

Tucows used to be the domain name registrar for the notorious American [[imageboard]] [[8chan]], which has been delisted by Google for hosting child pornography, and also seen numerous [[swatting]] attacks and terrorist attacks announced and planned by users, notably the 2019 New Zealand Terror Attack.
<ref>{{cite news|author1=Thomas Brewster |title=After The New Zealand Terror Attack, Should 8chan Be Wiped From The Web?|url= https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2019/03/15/after-the-new-zealand-terror-attack-should-8chan-be-wiped-from-the-web/#59e8a7366263 |work=Forbes |date=March 15, 2019}}</ref>
It is also a domain name registrar for the social media platform [[Truth Social]] and the white nationalist website [[Stormfront (website)|Stormfront]].

in 2021, Tucows launched a framework to explain their role in dealing with domain name abuse.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://tucowsdomains.com/making-the-internet-better/ |access-date=2022-06-02 |website=Tucows Inc. |language=en-US |title=Making the Internet better
}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canada|Companies|Internet}}
* [[Domain name registrar]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.tucowsinc.com/ Tucows Corporate Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060126230612/http://www.tucowsinc.com/ |date=2006-01-26 }}
{{Finance links
| name = Tucows
| symbol = TCX
| reuters = TCX.O
| bloomberg = TCX:US
| sec_cik = TCX
| yahoo = TCX
| google = TCX
}}

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