World Online and Tiscali follow ISP consolidation trend

World Online has confirmed its merger with Italian ISP Tiscali has been completed, after 96 per cent of outstanding shares in World Online were exchanged.

The merger creates an ISP with 3.6 million subscribers, predominantly in Italy and the Benelux countries. The news follows yesterday's takeover of UK ISP Freeserve by French internet firm Wannadoo. The deal is thought to make the combined Tiscali World Online ISP the fourth largest in Europe, behind T-Online, Wannadoo/Freeserve and AOL.