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TheBuzz Erika Engle |
Local Internet provider
sells residential business
A Utah company said yesterday it has bought part of Honolulu-based Internet provider INETS for an undisclosed sum.Salt Lake City-based IKANO Communications has purchased INETS' residential subscriber base of dial-up and high-speed Internet customers. IKANO competes against AOL, NetZero and EarthLink for residential Internet business.
IKANO, pronounced eye-KAH-no, will continue INETS' services and add others. Technical support functions formerly handled by INETS will be transferred to IKANO's 24-hour call center.
INETS, meanwhile, is not laying off any staff. The company, which has more than 20 employees, will continue to provide high-speed Internet for business clients, network services, software development and training.
"Our call center is going to be focusing on servicing business customers," said INETS President Jae Chong.
"Many small ISPs are being forced out of business by larger competitors, but this agreement will allow IKANO to continue offering the service that our customers have come to expect for years to come."
Many of those residential customers are members of the Hawaii Government Employees Association public workers union, who received discounted dial-up Internet service from INETS through the union, which is an INETS business customer.
IKANO will continue to service HGEA members' service while INETS retains the union's business.