Netspace

Netspace was an Australian internet service provider founded in 1992 by Stuart Marburg and Richard Preen. Based in Camberwell, Melbourne, the company entered the market during the early commercial expansion of consumer internet access in Australia, initially providing dial-up connectivity. As broadband adoption increased, Netspace became an early Australian adopter of DSL and shifted its business toward ADSL-based internet services. The company first delivered ADSL services using Telstra's network and later installed and operated its own digital subscriber line access multiplexers in selected areas. Tasmania was among the regions where Netspace deployed its own DSL infrastructure. This combination of wholesale network access and selective infrastructure investment allowed Netspace to serve customers beyond the dial-up market while developing a degree of control over service delivery in chosen locations. Netspace served several customer segments. Its retail offering addressed residential users, while its small-office and home-office, or SoHo, services targeted smaller businesses and professionals. The company also supplied business-oriented services, including domain name system services, web hosting, colocation and voice over Internet Protocol, alongside its core internet-access products. This broader portfolio reflected the way Australian ISPs expanded from connectivity into hosting, communications and infrastructure services during the broadband era. On 29 March 2010, Netspace entered into an agreement to be acquired by iiNet, a larger Australian ISP listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. The announced transaction valued Netspace at AU$40 million. Following the acquisition, iiNet progressively retired the Netspace brand. Netspace's official website was redirected to an iiNet webpage, although Netspace email addresses continued to be supported after the brand was withdrawn. Netspace is therefore best understood as a historical Australian ISP brand rather than an active independent business.

Netspace was established in Australia in 1992 by Stuart Marburg and Richard Preen. Its headquarters were in Camberwell, a suburb of Melbourne in Victoria. The company began by offering dial-up internet access, which was the prevailing form of consumer internet connectivity in Australia at the time. As broadband technologies developed, Netspace adopted DSL early in the Australian market. The company initially provided Telstra ADSL services and subsequently deployed its own DSLAM equipment in selected areas. Tasmania was one region in which it installed its own DSL infrastructure. This technical transition moved Netspace from being primarily a dial-up access provider toward becoming a broadband-focused ISP. Netspace's customer base included retail subscribers, small-office and home-office users, and business customers. In addition to internet access, it offered supporting and adjacent services such as DNS, web hosting, colocation and VoIP. These services gave the company a broader role in internet and communications infrastructure, particularly for business users that needed connectivity combined with hosted applications or server facilities. On 29 March 2010, Netspace agreed to be acquired by iiNet, a larger ISP whose shares traded on the Australian Securities Exchange. The transaction was valued at AU$40 million. The acquisition ended Netspace's independent corporate trajectory and eventually led to the withdrawal of the Netspace brand. Its website was redirected to iiNet, but Netspace email addresses remained supported. The brand is consequently defunct as an independent ISP brand, although its historical services and customer relationships formed part of the Australian broadband market that iiNet expanded through acquisition.

• 2010

  iiNet agrees to acquire Netspace

  [1]Netspaceen.wikipedia.org

  On 29 March, iiNet agrees to acquire Netspace in a transaction valued at AU$40 million.

• 1992

  Netspace is founded

  [1]Netspaceen.wikipedia.org

  Stuart Marburg and Richard Preen establish Netspace in Australia, initially focusing on dial-up internet access.

• Netspace adopts DSL broadband

  [1]Netspaceen.wikipedia.org

  The company becomes an early adopter of DSL in Australia, first offering Telstra ADSL and later installing its own DSLAMs in selected areas, including Tasmania.

• Netspace brand is retired

  [1]Netspaceen.wikipedia.org

  Following the iiNet acquisition, the Netspace brand is withdrawn and its official website redirects to iiNet.

An Australian independent internet service provider that evolved from dial-up access into broadband, hosting and business communications, with a particular emphasis on DSL services.

• Internet access · 1992

  Dial-up internet access

  Netspace's original service was dial-up internet access, reflecting the dominant consumer access model in Australia when the company was founded in 1992. Customers connected through telephone lines before broadband became widely available.

• Broadband internet

  ADSL and DSL broadband

  DSL became Netspace's central connectivity offering as the Australian market moved beyond dial-up. The company initially used Telstra ADSL and later installed its own DSLAMs in selected regions, including Tasmania, enabling it to provide ADSL-based services to retail, SoHo and business customers.

• Business connectivity

  Business and SoHo internet services

  Netspace served small-office and home-office customers as well as larger business users. These services extended beyond residential connectivity and were supported by hosting, DNS, colocation and VoIP capabilities.

• Internet infrastructure services

  Web hosting and colocation

  The company offered web hosting and colocation alongside its access products. These services allowed customers to host websites or place equipment in managed facilities, complementing Netspace's role as a business-oriented ISP.

• Communications services

  VoIP

  Netspace also provided voice over Internet Protocol services, extending its portfolio from data connectivity into internet-based voice communications.

• 2010

  Agreement to sell Netspace to iiNetM&A

  Background

  Netspace operated in a consolidating Australian ISP market, while iiNet was a larger ASX-listed internet service provider seeking expansion.

  Action taken

  Netspace agreed on 29 March 2010 to be acquired by iiNet for AU$40 million.

  Aftermath

  The transaction ended Netspace's independent ownership. iiNet later retired the Netspace brand, redirected its website and continued supporting Netspace email addresses.

  Acquisition value. AU$40 million (Agreement announced 29 March 2010)

  Source

• 2010

  iiNet agrees to acquire Netspace[1]Netspaceen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Netspace entered an agreement on 29 March 2010 to be acquired by larger Australian internet service provider iiNet for AU$40 million.

• 2010

  Netspace brand retired following iiNet acquisition[1]Netspaceen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Other

  After the acquisition, iiNet retired the Netspace name and redirected the former official website to an iiNet webpage, while continuing to support Netspace email addresses.

1. 1Netspaceen.wikipedia.org