Pipex Communications becomes GX Networks

The last of the Pipex business-services divisions to bear the company's name has now been rebranded, after Pipex Communications became GX Networks last week.

Pipex's residential broadband and landline business was sold to the Italy-based communications firm Tiscali last July. As part of the deal, Tiscali got the right to exclusively use the Pipex brand — which derives from the phrase "public IP exchange" — as a result of which the other various Pipex businesses have been subsequently rebranding.

In October 2007, Pipex Wireless became Freedom4, a company which mostly deals with a fixed-WiMax service offered as an SDSL alternative in certain areas of the UK, such as Milton Keynes and Manchester. Freedom4 has a close reseller relationship with Vialtus, formerly known as Pipex Business.

Vialtus mainly provides hosting and networking services to larger corporations. However, Pipex also owned several other web-hosting and business brands — including 123-reg, WebFusion, Supanames and Donhost — which fell under the umbrella of Pipex Communications.

"The changes you notice will be minor: a different company name will appear on the bottom of our website and on messages we send to you, and charges on your bank account or credit card may appear under the new company name," read an email from 123-reg to its customers on Saturday. "Day to day, it is business as usual here. The team behind 123-reg isn't changing and you won't notice any difference to your 123-reg services."