- Poptel
Infobox_Co-operative
company_name = Poptel
company_type =Worker cooperative
company_slogan = Connect Inform Empower
foundation =1983
location =Manchester , UKPoptel was a British
internet and on-line services provider that was run by an employeeco-operative (worker cooperative ) from 1986 to 2002.Poptel was a partner in the
Manchester Host and the Kirklees Host and became known as provider of Internet services to theLabour Party (UK) . Working with theNational Cooperative Business Association of the US, it launched the successful bid to create a top level Internet domain for use exclusively by cooperatives - ".coop " .Poptel was "demutualised" and broken up into smaller businesses in September 2002. Staff from the web development department formed a new co-operative (Poptech [http://www.poptech.coop/] ), and OSG Co-op (now Midcounties Co-operative) took over the .coop registry operation.
History
Poptel's first on-line service, based on the
GeoNet platform, was launched in March 1986. TheManchester Host was launched in 1991.External links
* [http://www.poptech.coop/ Poptech Website]
* [http://www.nic.coop/ .coop top level domain website]
* [http://www.andrewbibby.com/socialenterprise/poptel.html "Case study: Poptel"] by journalist Andrew Bibby, c.2001
* [http://www.andrewbibby.com/socialenterprise/poptel2.html "Poptel: how one workers' co-op was taken over by its investors"] by Andrew Bibby, first published in theFinancial Times , 2003
* [http://hauntingthunder.wordpress.com/ex-popys/ Where are they Now List Of Ex Poptel Members]
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