Tipped by the independent 2/01/2004

........."And so to our traditional "wild card". Pipex Communications, formerly known as GX Networks, is a telecoms company created by one of the entrepreneurs behind Ukbetting, Peter Dubens. It has been assembled from six smaller players. The ambitious company is generating cash for the first time but is still not widely followed in the City. It could be an undiscovered gem".

Stalker makes a move on Pipex
By Tony Glover
26 March 2006


MARKET speculation is growing that predators including BT are circling internet services provider Pipex. Shares in the company rose on the rumour that a takeover was under way and a big shareholder had been bought out. About 30m shares, 1.3% of the company, were sold.

Chairman Peter Dubens refused to comment last week on share movements or rumours but conceded it looked as if a large shareholder had sold up. Pipex is to offer 80m (E116m, $143m) of convertible bonds to finance the purchase of Caudwell Communications, which is to include the taking in of 43m of bank debt. Caudwell is an independent internet operator that trades as Homecall.

The move will do little to deter predators. Aside from Pipexs enlarged customer base, there are two things that make Pipex attractive. First, it owns significant spectrum rights for wi-max, the wide-range wireless rival to mobile networks. Second, the company is on pole position in hosting internet domains, which accounts for one-third of the profits.

It is Pipexs trial of next-generation wi-max that has got investors most excited. Dubens is keen to point out though that it does not have a wi-max licence, but does have rights over the spectrum that may be used for wi-max.

The rights could be useful for BT in its drive to establish alternative wireless networks and Pipexs customer base would come as a bonus. The companys internet hosting arm would also be a bonus for an operator such as BT.

City sources say BskyB, scared of being left behind in internet-based television broadcasting, could be in the frame for Pipex. It is also suggested Pipex could be planning a merger with another internet player, Fasthosts.

http://www.thebusinessonline.com/Stories.aspx?StoryID=89B02842-9C7A-499E-8614-FEB98BF4017E

Exciting times ahead on a number of fronts, results, WiMax update, bid speculation and possible merger activity.

From OFCOM today:
In 1992 a Wireless Telegraphy Act licence was awarded to provide Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services. Ofcom today agreed to remove certain unnecessary restrictions to allow Pipex - the current licensee - the freedom to choose what technology to use in delivering a FWA service.

Ofcom lets Pipex place net calls on mobiles
By Tony Glover
02 April 2006


INTERNET service provider Pipex, which has a market value of 340m (E493m, $609m) and is being circled by predators thought to include BT, last week became an even more desirable acquisition.

A decision by UK regulator Ofcom allows it to use the radio spectrum already allocated it for all applications. The ruling will enable Pipex to offer free or low-cost internet voice (VoIP) calls from devices such as mobile phones, undercutting standard mobile phone operators.

According to a Pipex spokeswoman, a decision that a wireless radio spectrum already allocated to Pipex is technology and application neutral will have significant consequences. The company is almost five months into trials for a new wide radius wireless technology wi-max that will provide high-speed internet over a wide enough area to cover entire towns and city centres.

Pipex began trialling wi-max in the Midlands in November in conjunction with VoIP specialist Airspan. As well as testing wi-max networks for internet access from laptop computers, the trials also involve VoIP services that could be offered over wi-max enabled mobile phones.

http://www.thebusinessonline.com/Stories.aspx?Ofcom%20lets%20Pipex%20place%20net%20calls%20on%20mobiles&StoryID=A60B6A80-650A-4242-A3CE-694DFCE450AE&SectionID=F3B76EF0-7991-4389-B72E-D07EB5AA1CEE

Results

http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200604030701168289A

Pipex teams up with Intel
an ADVFN competitor
Pipex Communications, the UK telecoms group, has teamed up with US semiconductor giant Intel Corporation to develop a wireless broadband internet access network across Britain's largest cities.

The new venture, to be called Pipex Wireless, will use the embryonic WiMAX mobile internet access technology standard. Intel will pump some $25m into the new venture, with Pipex signing over a spectrum license that could be used to build a WiMAX network across the UK. Pipex owns one of only two such national licenses in the UK.

The group said it expects the roll-out of the new network to begin in London and Manchester in 2007, and will be available in the UK's top eight population centres by 2008. Eventually, the service will be in the UK's 50 biggest metropolitan areas.

Pipex, which recently bought John Caudwell's Homecall fixed-line business for around 40m, reported a 30% rise in 2005 turnover to 133m.

Pretax profits rose to 7.1m, up from 6.2m in 2004, which was in line with a consensus forecast provided by the company.

Turning to its prospects this year, Pipex said it had traded 'well' in the first quarter of 2006. With more of its subscribers signing up for multiple services, churn had fallen and margins had stabilised, said the company


Pipex Communications, the UK telecoms group, has teamed up with US semiconductor giant Intel Corporation to develop a wireless broadband internet access network across Britain's largest cities.

The new venture, to be called Pipex Wireless, will use the embryonic WiMAX mobile internet access technology standard. Intel will pump some $25m into the new venture, with Pipex signing over a spectrum license that could be used to build a WiMAX network across the UK. Pipex owns one of only two such national licenses in the UK.

The group said it expects the roll-out of the new network to begin in London and Manchester in 2007, and will be available in the UK's top eight population centres by 2008. Eventually, the service will be in the UK's 50 biggest metropolitan areas.

The news came as Pipex reported a 30% rise in 2005 turnover to 133m, underpinned by rocketing demand for broadband internet access. Pretax profits rose to 7.1m, up from 6.2m in 2004, which was in line with a consensus forecast provided by the company.

The group, which last month bought the Homecall fixed-line business from Phones4U owner John Caudwell for around 43m, said it had traded 'well' in the first quarter of 2006. With more of its subscribers signing up for multiple services, churn had fallen and it was 'protecting' profit margins, said Pipex.

Pipex this morning said Homecall was trading profitably, and would add around 2m to group profits, on the EBITDA line, in 2006 without significantly raising capital expenditure.

The group's customer base rose 35% to 575,000 during 2005, comprising 283,000 broadband and 290,000 website hosting subscribers. The addition of Homecall's predominantly fixed-line voice call clients pushes Pipex's customer base through the 1 million mark, it said.

The group renewed its commitment to install its own equipment in 100 BT Group local exchanges within two years, a process known as local loop unbundling.

Good stuff... lots of PXC good news this morning.. SP should continue in an upward manner!

As you say skyhigh, a lot of good stuff, which is why I'm surprised the SP hasn't done more so far this morning.

It has done nothing...why is that???

Pipex Communications PLC
03 April 2006

NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES


1. Name of company

PIPEX Communications plc

2. Name of shareholder having a major interest

UBS AG

3. Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of holding of the shareholder
named in 2 above or in respect of a non-beneficial interest or in the case of an individual holder
if it is a holding of that person's spouse or children under the age of 18.

As in 2 above

4. Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the number of shares held by each
of them

UBS AG London Branch 381,444,200
UBS Global Asset Management (Life) Limited 43,015,599
UBS Wealth Management (UK) Limited 1,239,000*

UBS AG (Switzerland) 33,481,500*



* non-material


5. Number of shares/amount of stock acquired

N/a

6. Percentage of issued class

N/a

7. Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

N/A

8. Percentage of issued class

N/A

9. Class of security

Ordinary 1p shares

10. Date of transaction

27th March 2006

11. Date company informed

29th March 2006

12. Total holding following this notification

459,180,299

13. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

19.82%

14. Any additional information

None

15. Name of contact and telephone number for queries

Stewart Porter 01296 300 081

16. Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for making this notification.

Stewart Porter, Finance Director



Date of notification: 3rd April 2006




This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

How can it be down on the day??!!

easy ! we're being stuffed !....PXC has reacted like this in the last few yrs so no great surprise! . need to continue to hold for the gains to eventually come thru!

what is going on with the shares nowadays?

probably has to do with end of tax year .....cant find any other reason.

Follow this link about Wimax, may be of interest.

http://www.cambridgebroadband.com/app_edge_backhaul.htm

Anybody watched BBCs Watchdog and the Homecall article, Pipex has bought a whole lot of trouble to sort out. Pipex got a mention as well because they are trying to sort the mess out.

It is of some concern that around 400 unhappy people contacted Watchdog. Pipex took on 500,000 Homecall customers, I bet Caudwell was glad to get shot of them and the 43 million debt to go with it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_radio/watchdog/reports/services/services_20060404.shtml

PIPEX are clever anough to know exactly what they took on and they have the know how to fix it quickly.. minor set back on the SP but should recover soon!

I got a feeling the problem might be Intel Corp agreement. On Mon 3/4/06 at 0830am the sp was 17p . At 10 am it fell 2p.This arrangment might have been the takeover speculation that had been incorperated in the price and turned out not to be. This anouncement was just befor the sp crash.

Or, allegedly, the mm's triggering stop losses to free up cheap purchases for the big boys. With the current government's example, are we surprised?