J2 Global
American technology holding company that combined cloud communications, online backup, security services, and digital media.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
J2 Global was an American technology holding company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It began in 1995 as JFax.com, a business built around Internet-based fax and communications services, and later expanded into a broad portfolio of cloud software, digital communications, online backup, cybersecurity, privacy tools, and specialized media properties. The company’s best-known communications brand was eFax, which allowed customers to send and receive faxes through the Internet rather than relying on a conventional fax machine. Other services associated with its Business Cloud Services division included eVoice, Onebox, MyFax, MetroFax, FuseMail, Campaigner, VIPRE, Livedrive, SugarSync, IPVanish, StrongVPN, and a variety of backup, email, telephone-number, and hosted communications products. The company’s corporate identity changed as its business broadened. It was incorporated as J2 Global Communications in August 2000, replacing the earlier JFax.com identity. On December 7, 2011, it adopted the shorter name J2 Global. The change reflected an effort to move beyond services centered on telephone numbers and faxing into complementary Internet and software categories. A major strategic turning point came in 2012, when J2 Global acquired Ziff Davis for $167 million in cash and used the transaction to establish a Digital Media division. This gave the company a substantial portfolio of technology and consumer-information publications alongside its cloud-services operations. J2 Global subsequently acquired IGN Entertainment from News Corporation and added other digital publishers and websites, including TechBargains.com. Through Ziff Davis, the group became associated with publications and online properties such as PCMag, IGN, Mashable, and Everyday Health. J2 Global continued to pursue a buy-and-build strategy in cloud services. It acquired MetroFax, Backup Connect, City Numbers, Livedrive, OzeFax, Faxmate, and Business Critical Software, among other businesses. The company also expanded its consumer privacy portfolio, acquiring the SaferVPN brand in 2019 and acquiring StrongVPN from StackPath during the same period. These transactions added VPN, online backup, email security, and related subscription services to its existing communications base. The company operated through two broad divisions. Business Cloud Services consisted of recurring-revenue software and communications products, including Internet fax, hosted voice, email security, online backup, file synchronization, VPN, and business productivity tools. Digital Media consisted primarily of publishing and content businesses held through Ziff Davis. This combination gave J2 Global exposure to both subscription software and advertising- and commerce-supported digital media, although the businesses had different operating models and audiences. In April 2021, J2 Global announced a plan to separate part of its cloud-services operations into a new publicly traded company named Consensus. The remaining business, consisting primarily of media assets, was intended to continue under the J2 Global name initially. In September 2021, the board approved a related plan under which J2 Global would be renamed Ziff Davis after the separation. The corporate transition ended J2 Global as an independent operating identity and established Ziff Davis as the successor name for the retained media-focused business. Accordingly, J2 Global is best understood as a former technology holding-company brand whose assets and operations were reorganized rather than as an active standalone brand.
History
J2 Global originated in December 1995 as JFax.com, founded by Jaye Muller and Jack Rieley. Its original proposition was to provide fax communications through Internet-connected services, reducing the need for dedicated fax hardware and conventional telephone infrastructure. The company developed this model into a broader business communications platform and became associated with the eFax brand, which offered online fax sending and receiving for businesses and individual users. In August 2000, the company changed its registered name to J2 Global Communications, Inc. The revised name reflected the company’s movement from a single fax-oriented identity toward a portfolio of Internet communications services. During the following years, it expanded into hosted voice and related products, including eVoice and Onebox, while continuing to develop Internet fax brands. It also built a growth model based on acquiring established services with recurring subscription revenue. The company adopted the name J2 Global on December 7, 2011. Management described the shorter name as more suitable for an organization that was expanding beyond phone-number-centered products into other Internet services. The next major phase of this expansion began in November 2012, when J2 Global acquired Ziff Davis for $167 million in cash. Rather than remaining solely a cloud communications provider, J2 Global used Ziff Davis to create a Digital Media division focused on technology publishing, product information, reviews, and online content. In February 2013, J2 Global acquired IGN Entertainment from News Corporation. It also announced the acquisitions of MetroFax and Backup Connect during 2013. MetroFax strengthened its Internet fax business, while Backup Connect added online backup capabilities. Later that year, Ziff Davis acquired TechBargains.com, adding a commerce-oriented technology website to the media portfolio. The acquisition program continued in 2014. J2 Global announced purchases involving City Numbers, a provider of international inbound toll-free numbers; Livedrive, an online backup company based in the United Kingdom; and Australian fax businesses OzeFax and Faxmate. In April, it acquired Business Critical Software, also known as iCritical, a United Kingdom-based provider of email security and management services. These deals diversified Business Cloud Services across communications, storage, security, and international connectivity. J2 Global’s portfolio subsequently included a large collection of brands and operating businesses. Its cloud-services holdings included eFax, MyFax, MetroFax, Fax.com, TrustFax, RapidFax, Send2Fax, IPVanish, StrongVPN, Livedrive, SugarSync, KeepItSafe, VaultLogix, VIPRE, FuseMail, Campaigner, Callstream, and other specialized services. The Digital Media division, operated primarily through Ziff Davis, included brands such as PCMag, IGN, Mashable, and Everyday Health. The group therefore combined subscription software with digital publishing, advertising, affiliate commerce, and content-led businesses. Consumer privacy became another area of expansion. J2 Global acquired StrongVPN from StackPath in 2019 and acquired SaferVPN in the same period. StrongVPN supported protocols including IPsec, OpenVPN, and WireGuard. Reviews generally characterized the service as straightforward, while public discussion also raised questions about the clarity of its logging disclosures and the ability to associate an IP address with a customer. J2 Global also became involved in patent disputes with a number of communications and technology companies, including CallWave, Comodo, EasyLink Services International, OpenText, Packetel, Protus, Venali, and Zayo Group. Some defendants brought counterclaims that included allegations under antitrust and California competition laws. These disputes formed part of the legal environment surrounding the company’s communications patents and business practices. In April 2021, J2 Global announced a plan to spin off a portion of its cloud-services operations into a new publicly traded company called Consensus. The retained business would be primarily composed of media assets. In September 2021, the board approved a plan to rename the retained company Ziff Davis after completion of the separation. This restructuring marked the end of J2 Global as the operating name of the combined cloud-services and media group. Its former businesses were divided between the successor media company and the separately organized cloud-services business.
- 2021
Cloud-services spin-off and planned rename to Ziff Davis
[1]J2 Global announced the planned separation of part of its cloud business as Consensus and approved renaming the retained media-focused company Ziff Davis.
- 2019
VPN portfolio expands
[1]J2 Global acquired SaferVPN and added StrongVPN to its consumer privacy and security portfolio.
- 2014
Cloud communications and security portfolio expands internationally
[1]The company announced acquisitions including City Numbers, Livedrive, OzeFax, Faxmate, and Business Critical Software.
- 2013
IGN Entertainment joins J2 Global
[1]J2 Global acquired IGN Entertainment from News Corporation and added further media and technology properties.
- 2012
Ziff Davis acquisition creates the Digital Media division
[1]J2 Global acquired Ziff Davis for $167 million in cash and entered digital publishing at scale.
- 2011
The company becomes J2 Global
[1]On December 7, J2 Global Communications dropped “Communications” from its official name as it expanded into non-telephone-number-centric services.
- 2010
J2 Global acquires MyFax
[2]MyFax announced its acquisition by J2 Global Communications, the owner of eFax.
- 2009
MyFax launches
[2]Protus IP Solutions launched MyFax as an Internet fax product before its later acquisition by J2 Global.
- 2000
Corporate name changes to J2 Global Communications
[1]The company adopted the registered name J2 Global Communications, Inc. in August.
- 1995
JFAX.com is founded
[1]Jaye Muller and Jack Rieley founded JFax.com in December as an Internet-based fax-services company.
Products and positioning
A diversified, acquisition-led Internet services holding company combining recurring-revenue cloud communications and security products with digital media and technology publishing.
Internet fax
eFax
J2 Global’s best-known communications service, eFax replaced or supplemented conventional fax machines by allowing users to send and receive faxes through Internet-connected accounts. It was marketed to businesses and individuals needing document transmission, digital inboxes, and access from multiple locations.
Internet fax · 2009
MyFax
MyFax was an Internet business fax service launched by Protus IP Solutions in 2009 and acquired by J2 Global in 2010. It supported sending and receiving faxes online and integration with office and productivity applications, with mobile support also available.
Digital media
Ziff Davis
Ziff Davis became the principal platform for J2 Global’s Digital Media division after its 2012 acquisition. Its portfolio covered technology reviews, consumer advice, gaming, product information, commerce content, health, and lifestyle publishing.
Digital media
IGN
IGN is a technology and entertainment publication focused particularly on video games, entertainment, reviews, guides, and related enthusiast content. J2 Global acquired it from News Corporation in 2013 through its media expansion.
Cybersecurity
VIPRE
VIPRE represented J2 Global’s endpoint-security and cybersecurity activities. It provided consumer and business-oriented protection products within the company’s broader Business Cloud Services portfolio.
Online backup
Livedrive
Livedrive is an online backup and storage service acquired by J2 Global in 2014. It complemented the company’s other backup, storage, and file-synchronization properties and expanded its presence in the United Kingdom.
Virtual private network · 2005
StrongVPN
StrongVPN is a commercial VPN service founded in 2005 and acquired by J2 Global from StackPath in 2019. It supported protocols including IPsec, OpenVPN, and WireGuard and was positioned as a relatively simple privacy and secure-connection product.
Brand decisions
2021
Separate cloud services from the media businessStrategyBackground
J2 Global’s cloud-services and digital-media operations had developed into distinct businesses with different customers, revenue models, and strategic priorities.
Action taken
The company announced a plan to spin off part of its cloud-services business as Consensus and retain the primarily media-related assets under a company planned to be renamed Ziff Davis.
Aftermath
The restructuring ended J2 Global as the combined corporate identity and established separate successor structures for the cloud and media operations.
2012
Acquire Ziff Davis and enter digital mediaM&ABackground
J2 Global sought to diversify beyond communications services and create a second operating division.
Action taken
The company acquired Ziff Davis for $167 million in cash.
Aftermath
The transaction created the Digital Media division and made technology publishing a major part of the group.
Acquisition price. $167 million cash consideration (2012)
2011
Drop “Communications” from the corporate nameStrategyBackground
J2 Global’s operations had expanded beyond faxing and other services centered on telephone numbers.
Action taken
The company changed its official name from J2 Global Communications to J2 Global on December 7, 2011.
Aftermath
The shorter name supported a broader identity covering cloud software, security, backup, and later digital media.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
J2 Global raises full-year guidance[4]
J2 Global said it was raising its full-year guidance alongside reporting second-quarter 2021 results.
J2 Global acquires J2 GlobalFES IQ[5]
J2 Global said it acquired J2 GlobalFES IQ, a company in the digital media space, during the fourth quarter of 2019. Financial details were not announced, and the company said the acquisition was not expected to have a material financial impact.
- Unconfirmed
j2 Global acquires EmailDirect assets[6]
j2 Global acquired EmailDirect in an asset deal; the acquisition finances were not disclosed. j2 Global said it would use the acquisition to bolster its Campaigner Email Marketing brand.
Sources6 sources
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