X-stream
Encyclopedia
The X-Stream Network was the first free ISP based in Britain launched in 1998 and founded by Canadian businessmen Christopher Sukornyk and Gregory Sukornyk, founder of Project Breakout and Wippit founder Paul Myers
.
The company were the first to offer free internet access from March 8th 1998 and then "unmetered" access through 0800 numbers. The X-Stream network was usually accessed via an 0845 number and required all users to install their bespoke dialler software, which ran independently of the browser and displayed an advertising banner above the windows start menu
at all times while the user was connected. As this was a source of revenue in a market where all other ISPs charged a monthly subscription fee on top of the call costs, it was not possible to remove the X-Stream banner whilst the user is connected, although the banner was buggy and at times would crash leaving the connection active. The X-Stream banner was visible even when all other windows were maximised. Trial periods were set up mainly at evenings and weekends to allow 0800 access to the X-Stream network for 1 hour periods. This is the first instance of the development of "unmetered" access to the Internet in the UK. The X-Stream user base increased significantly after the launch of Freeserve
.
The company subsequently expanded its operations to a number of other 5 European countries and Japan. X-Stream was bought by the French
ISP LibertySurf in March 2000 for $75.3MM.
Paul Myers (record producer)
Paul Myers is a British author and businessman and was formerly a record producer. He was the CEO and founder of pioneering online music store Wippit...
.
The company were the first to offer free internet access from March 8th 1998 and then "unmetered" access through 0800 numbers. The X-Stream network was usually accessed via an 0845 number and required all users to install their bespoke dialler software, which ran independently of the browser and displayed an advertising banner above the windows start menu
Start menu
The Start Menu and Start Button are user interface elements used in the later versions of the Microsoft Windows operating systems and in some X window managers...
at all times while the user was connected. As this was a source of revenue in a market where all other ISPs charged a monthly subscription fee on top of the call costs, it was not possible to remove the X-Stream banner whilst the user is connected, although the banner was buggy and at times would crash leaving the connection active. The X-Stream banner was visible even when all other windows were maximised. Trial periods were set up mainly at evenings and weekends to allow 0800 access to the X-Stream network for 1 hour periods. This is the first instance of the development of "unmetered" access to the Internet in the UK. The X-Stream user base increased significantly after the launch of Freeserve
Freeserve
Freeserve was a British Internet Service Provider, founded in 1998. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but merged into the Wanadoo group in 2000, itself a subsidiary of France Telecom...
.
The company subsequently expanded its operations to a number of other 5 European countries and Japan. X-Stream was bought by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
ISP LibertySurf in March 2000 for $75.3MM.