Thus (company)

Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox company Thus was a telecommunications provider operating in the United Kingdom based in Glasgow, Scotland. The company was once listed on the London Stock Exchange and became a subsidiary of Cable & Wireless Worldwide (CWW). Following the acquisition of Cable & Wireless Worldwide by Vodafone in July 2012, the company was gradually integrated into Vodafone. This was completed on 1 April 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

The company was founded in 1994 as Scottish Power Telecommunications Holdings Ltd (trading as Scottish Telecom), an offshoot of the energy company ScottishPower. In 1998 the company acquired Demon Internet.<ref>Scottish Telecom buys Demon Internet Internet News, 5 May 1998</ref> Rod Matthews, who had founded the business, remained as Chief Executive until 1999.<ref>Matthews in new ventureTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore Independent on Sunday, 31 March 2001</ref>

File:Thus Business Card - Page 1.jpg

On 4 October 1999 Scottish Telecom announced their new name "thus".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

A short while later in 1999, the newly named Thus PLC listed on the London Stock Exchange.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:Thus Business Card - Page 2.jpg

Front and back of a London-branch employee’s business card showing the original Thus logo and internet domain name "let-it-be-thus.com" - circa 2000.

In 2002 it was demerged from Scottish Power in a deal which effectively wiped out the majority of the company's debts, placing the company on a sound financial footing.<ref>And thus the demerger finally came to pass Independent, 20 December 2001</ref>

In August 2004 it sold its call centre operation to Response Handling Ltd and in 2006 it acquired Your Communications and Legend Communications.<ref>RHL secures buy-out of contact group Thus Precision Marketing, 16 July 2004</ref><ref>Thus agrees to buy Your Communications and Legend Financial News, 1 February 2006</ref>

On 28 May 2008 Cable & Wireless plc announced their intention to purchase the company with an offer of 165p per share: this first offer was rejected on 6 June 2008.<ref>Thus Group rejects Cable & Wireless approach Template:Webarchive Announcement, 6 June 2008</ref> On 30 June 2008, Cable & Wireless announced that it had acquired a 29.9% stake in Thus and tabled an improved offer of £329 million, or 180p per share.<ref>C&W makes offer for Thus Reuters, 30 June 2008</ref> On 1 October 2008, Cable & Wireless completed the takeover of Thus: the company became known as "Thus, a Cable & Wireless business".<ref name=cable>Template:Cite web</ref>

Operations

The company supplied some services (most notably Internet services) to small businesses. Many of its major customers had their business transferred to Cable & Wireless Worldwide.<ref name=cable/>

External links

• Template:Official website