Kingston buys Eclipse Internet

Eclipse’s founder and managing director, Mark Lang, will be taking the position of Head of Broadband and ISP Development and the company’s headquarters will remain based in Exeter.

The firm said its existing team will continue at the newly merged companies. Financial details of the purchase were not disclosed.

Lang said: “I am committed to the future of the Eclipse, its customers and its employees. By joining the Kingston Group, Eclipse will significantly strengthen its competitive position and achieve long term performance by continuing to create superior customer value and satisfaction in what is an increasingly aggressive market.”

Kingston said it will use the purchase to accelerate the growth in its broadband business. Following the acquisition the Group will have a broadband customer base of over 55,000 connections.

Eclipse Internet is UK ISP that delivers Internet connectivity and services to businesses of all sizes including broadband (SDSL, ADSL and leased lines), managed server hosting, web site hosting, ASP, firewalls, virus protection and VPNs.

Kingston Communications is a provider of communications with an annual turnover for the year 2003/4 of £293.6m. The company currently employs around 1900 staff across the UK. More than 85% of its sales are business-to-business and around two thirds originate from customers outside their traditional East Yorkshire base.