UK ISP Goes Down

Ezesurf head Matt Bryson claimed that the company closed due to a billing error which meant it had to pay £2,083,351.21 in one go.

by James Middleton
of uk.internet.com
[August 29, 2000]

The surf has finally gone flat for Ezesurf. After keeping users' hopes up for the entire weekend with promises of normal service, the company has finally come clean and announced that it has gone into liquidation.

A mournful message, from the Ezesurf head Matt Bryson, claimed that the company closed due to a billing error, which meant it had to pay £2,083,351.21 in one go.

But ex-users have expressed their anger, including one who payed for the service only days before it shut down. "I foolishly sent them £97.50 on 12/8/00 and now have the hassle of getting a refund" said the user in a message board posting.

Many were unmoved by Bryson's claims that a billing error was the final nail in the coffin. "Do we believe Mr Bryson that it is all Energis/POLs fault for demanding £2m NOW?" was one comment

Employees of the internet service provider (ISP) have created a site of their own which slams Ezesurf and claims that the company had folded as early as last week.

On Friday, users found that the usual dialup number was no longer in service and on visiting the ISP's website were greeted with a message apologising for the lack of service and saying that the situation would be rectified over the next 48 hours.

A help line number on the site appeared to be stuck in a 'please hold' loop when uk.internet.com staff attempted to call.

In a statement Energis said that as of 23rd August it no longer provided an 0800 service to Ezesurf, but that it could not comment on the reason that it withdrew the service

—End