{{Short description|British telecommunications provider}} {{redirect|thus|usage of the word|wikt:thus}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}} {{Use British English|date=July 2015}} {{Infobox company | name = Thus Ltd. | logo = Logo of Thus plc (2005).svg | logo_size = 150px | logo_caption = Logo as of 2005 | type = Subsidiary | foundation = 1994 (as Scottish Power Telecommunications Holdings Ltd) | location = Glasgow, Scotland, UK | key_people = | industry = Telecommunications | products = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | num_employees = 1,700 (2009) | parent = Vodafone | subsid = | homepage = {{url|www.thus.net}} | footnotes = }} '''Thus''' was a telecommunications provider operating in the United Kingdom based in Glasgow, Scotland. The company was once listed on the London Stock Exchange and became a subsidiary of Cable & Wireless Worldwide (CWW). Following the acquisition of Cable & Wireless Worldwide by Vodafone in July 2012, the company was gradually integrated into Vodafone. This was completed on 1 April 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thusebilling.crystalasp.com/thuswebportal/ebillinghelp/newformat.pdf |title=Changes to your invoices |date=April 2013 |publisher=Vodafone |accessdate=17 April 2013}}</ref>
==History== The company was founded in 1994 as '''Scottish Power Telecommunications Holdings Ltd''' (trading as '''Scottish Telecom'''), an offshoot of the energy company ScottishPower. In 1998 the company acquired Demon Internet.<ref>[http://www.internetnews.com/xSP/article.php/43081/Scottish+Telecom+Buys+Demon+Internet.htm Scottish Telecom buys Demon Internet] Internet News, 5 May 1998</ref> Rod Matthews, who had founded the business, remained as Chief Executive until 1999.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/rod-matthews-in-new-net-venture-754373.html Matthews in new venture]{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Independent on Sunday, 31 March 2001</ref> thumb On 4 October 1999 Scottish Telecom announced their new name "thus".<ref>{{Cite web|last=John|first=Lewell|date=1999-10-07|title=ScottishTelecom Changes Name - InternetNews.|url=https://www.internetnews.com/it-management/scottishtelecom-changes-name/|access-date=17 September 2021|website=www.internetnews.com}}</ref>
A short while later in 1999, the newly named Thus PLC listed on the London Stock Exchange.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Journal|first=Silvia Ascarelli Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal|date=1999-10-26|title=Scottish Firm Thus PLC Leads Telecom IPO List|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB940888803896927214|access-date=2020-08-09|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> thumb|Front and back of a London-branch employee’s business card showing the original Thus logo and internet domain name "let-it-be-thus.com" - circa 2000. In 2002 it was demerged from Scottish Power in a deal which effectively wiped out the majority of the company's debts, placing the company on a sound financial footing.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090514101101/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/outlook-and-thus-the-demerger-finally-came-to-pass-663799.html And thus the demerger finally came to pass] Independent, 20 December 2001</ref>
In August 2004 it sold its call centre operation to Response Handling Ltd and in 2006 it acquired Your Communications and Legend Communications.<ref>[http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-569279/RHL-secures-buyout-of-contact.html RHL secures buy-out of contact group Thus] Precision Marketing, 16 July 2004</ref><ref>[https://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/02/01/thus_deal/ Thus agrees to buy Your Communications and Legend] Financial News, 1 February 2006</ref>
On 28 May 2008 Cable & Wireless plc announced their intention to purchase the company with an offer of 165p per share: this first offer was rejected on 6 June 2008.<ref>[http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/2343118 Thus Group rejects Cable & Wireless approach] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004134239/http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/2343118 |date=4 October 2011 }} Announcement, 6 June 2008</ref> On 30 June 2008, Cable & Wireless announced that it had acquired a 29.9% stake in Thus and tabled an improved offer of £329 million, or 180p per share.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081225135923/http://uk.reuters.com/article/mergersNews/idUKL3016652520080630 C&W makes offer for Thus] Reuters, 30 June 2008</ref> On 1 October 2008, Cable & Wireless completed the takeover of Thus: the company became known as "Thus, a Cable & Wireless business".<ref name=cable>{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/cable-wireless-buys-thus/|title=Cable & Wireless buys Thus|publisher=ZD Net|date=2 October 2018|access-date=30 June 2018}}</ref>
==Operations== The company supplied some services (most notably Internet services) to small businesses. Many of its major customers had their business transferred to Cable & Wireless Worldwide.<ref name=cable/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{wiktionary|thus}} {{Portal|Scotland|Companies}} *{{official website|http://www.thus.net/}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Defunct telecommunications companies of the United Kingdom Category:Companies formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange Category:Companies based in Glasgow Category:Telecommunications companies established in 1994 Category:Scottish brands Category:British companies disestablished in 2013 Category:1994 establishments in Scotland Category:2013 disestablishments in Scotland Category:British companies established in 1994