Poptel
Encyclopedia
Poptel was a British
internet
and on-line services provider that was run by an employee cooperative
(worker cooperative
) from 1986 to 2002.
In the 1980's Poptel offered on-line communications and information services to international NGOs, working in particular with the Interdoc group. Poptel was a partner in the Manchester Host
and the Kirklees Host and became known as provider of Internet services to the Labour Party (UK)
. Working with the National Cooperative Business Association
of the US, it launched the successful bid to create a top level Internet domain for use exclusively by cooperatives - ".coop
" .
Poptel was "demutualised" and broken up into smaller businesses in September 2002. Staff from the web development department formed a new co-operative, Poptech (now Fused Technologies) and OSG Co-op (now Midcounties Co-operative
) took over the .coop registry operation.
platform, was launched in March 1986. The Manchester Host
was launched in 1991.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
and on-line services provider that was run by an employee cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
(worker cooperative
Worker cooperative
A worker cooperative is a cooperative owned and democratically managed by its worker-owners. This control may be exercised in a number of ways. A cooperative enterprise may mean a firm where every worker-owner participates in decision making in a democratic fashion, or it may refer to one in which...
) from 1986 to 2002.
In the 1980's Poptel offered on-line communications and information services to international NGOs, working in particular with the Interdoc group. Poptel was a partner in the Manchester Host
Manchester Host
The Manchester Host was an early example of a municipal networking project. Its aim was to foster social and economic development in Manchester, England by encouraging the use of on-line communications and information services by businesses, public sector and voluntary organisations.The project was...
and the Kirklees Host and became known as provider of Internet services to the Labour Party (UK)
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. Working with the National Cooperative Business Association
National Cooperative Business Association
Founded in 1916 as the Cooperative League of America, the National Cooperative Business Association is a United States membership organization for cooperatives, businesses that are jointly-owned and democratically-controlled....
of the US, it launched the successful bid to create a top level Internet domain for use exclusively by cooperatives - ".coop
.coop
The domain coop is a sponsored top-level domain in the Domain Name System of the Internet. It is intended for the use of cooperatives, wholly owned subsidiaries, and other organizations that exist to promote or support co-operatives....
" .
Poptel was "demutualised" and broken up into smaller businesses in September 2002. Staff from the web development department formed a new co-operative, Poptech (now Fused Technologies) and OSG Co-op (now Midcounties Co-operative
Midcounties Co-operative Society
The Midcounties Co-operative Limited is the fourth-largest consumer co-operative in the United Kingdom. It is a registered Industrial and Provident Society, a member of Co-operatives UK, the Co-operative Retail Trading Group and a corporate member of Co-operative Group Ltd. , the largest consumer...
) took over the .coop registry operation.
History
Poptel's first on-line service, based on the GeoNetGeoNet
GeoNet was an early international on-line services network built using microcomputers. Based on software developed in Germany by GeoNet Systems GmbH in the early 1980s and completed in the early 1990s, it was one of the first networks to offer a comprehensive on-line services platform, and was...
platform, was launched in March 1986. The Manchester Host
Manchester Host
The Manchester Host was an early example of a municipal networking project. Its aim was to foster social and economic development in Manchester, England by encouraging the use of on-line communications and information services by businesses, public sector and voluntary organisations.The project was...
was launched in 1991.
External links
- Interdoc the first international NGO computer network
- .coop top level domain website
- Case study: Poptel by journalist Andrew Bibby, c.2001
- Poptel: how one workers' co-op was taken over by its investors by Andrew Bibby, first published in the Financial TimesFinancial TimesThe Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, 2003 - Where are they Now List Of Ex Poptel Members
- Fused Technologies formerly Poptech