COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 518111

Internet Services Providers

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

30companies1826–2003founding years24still active6no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedSociété du Figaro S.A.FoundedSociété du Figaro S.A.
1826
FoundedNEC Corporation
1899
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedNaspers Ltd.
1915
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
FoundedViacom Inc.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
FoundedLonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedBilling Concepts, Inc.FoundedBilling Concepts, Inc.
1985
FoundedDimension Data Holdings PLC
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedSDL PLC
1992
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedYahoo! Inc.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
FoundedAlloy, Inc.FoundedAsk Jeeves, Inc.FoundedAsk Jeeves, Inc.
1996
FoundedBroadwing Corporation
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
FoundedClearwire, Inc.
1998
FoundedGrupo Clarín S.A.
1999
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
FoundedMarchex, Inc.
2003
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Société du Figaro S.A. →
Active · founded 1826 · France
One of France's oldest newspaper groups, Société du Figaro S.A.
Société du Figaro S.A. →
Active · founded 1826 · France
One of France's oldest newspaper groups, Société du Figaro S.A.
NEC Corporation →
Active · founded 1899 · Japan
Early 1920s:NEC, IWE, and a division of the Sumitomo group form a joint venture to produce electrical cables, marking…
NEC Corporation →
Active · founded 1899 · Japan
Early 1920s:NEC, IWE, and a division of the Sumitomo group form a joint venture to produce electrical cables, marking…
Naspers Ltd. →
Active · founded 1915 · South Africa
Naspers Ltd.
Naspers Ltd. →
Active · founded 1915 · South Africa
Naspers Ltd.
Viacom Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1971
One of the largest media companies in the world, Viacom Inc.
Viacom Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1971
One of the largest media companies in the world, Viacom Inc.
Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. →
Active · founded 1973 · Australia
Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd.
Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. →
Active · founded 1973 · Australia
Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd.
Billing Concepts, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
Billing Concepts, Inc.
Billing Concepts, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
Billing Concepts, Inc.
Dimension Data Holdings PLC →
Defunct · founded 1987 · South Africa
Dimension Data Holdings PLC is South Africa's leading information technology services and solutions provider.
Dimension Data Holdings PLC →
Defunct · founded 1987 · South Africa
Dimension Data Holdings PLC is South Africa's leading information technology services and solutions provider.
SDL PLC →
Active · founded 1992 · United Kingdom
SDL PLC is one of the world's leading localization services providers to businesses seeking a global market presence.
SDL PLC →
Active · founded 1992 · United Kingdom
SDL PLC is one of the world's leading localization services providers to businesses seeking a global market presence.
Yahoo! Inc. →
Active · founded 1995
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. →
Active · founded 1995
Yahoo!
Alloy, Inc. →
Active · founded 1996
Alloy, Inc.
Alloy, Inc. →
Active · founded 1996
Alloy, Inc.
Ask Jeeves, Inc. →
Active · founded 1996
Ask Jeeves, Inc.
Ask Jeeves, Inc. →
Active · founded 1996
Ask Jeeves, Inc.
Broadwing Corporation →
Active · founded 1997
Broadwing Corporation operates two divisions that serve different segments of the telecommunications industry.
Broadwing Corporation →
Active · founded 1997
Broadwing Corporation operates two divisions that serve different segments of the telecommunications industry.
Clearwire, Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1998
Clearwire, Inc.
Clearwire, Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1998
Clearwire, Inc.
Grupo Clarín S.A. →
Active · founded 1999 · Argentina
Grupo Clarín S.A., a privately owned Argentine holding company, is the leading media group in the Spanish-speaking…
Grupo Clarín S.A. →
Active · founded 1999 · Argentina
Grupo Clarín S.A., a privately owned Argentine holding company, is the leading media group in the Spanish-speaking…
Marchex, Inc. →
Active · founded 2003
Marchex, Inc.
Marchex, Inc. →
Active · founded 2003
Marchex, Inc.
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