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'''Tucows''', an acronym for '''The Ultimate Collection of Winsock Software''', is best known for its popular website directory of shareware, freeware, and demo software packages available for download.

'''Tucows''', an acronym for '''The Ultimate Collection of Winsock Software''', is best known for its popular website directory of shareware, freeware, and demo software packages available for download.

In February, 2012, Tucows launched a new mobile carrier, [[Ting]].<ref>[http://techcrunch.com/2012/02/02/tucows-officially-launches-ting-a-more-thoughtful-wireless-carrier/ Tucows Officially Launches a More Thoughtful Wireless Carrier, TechCrunch.com]</ref>

In February 2012, Tucows launched a new mobile carrier, [[Ting]].<ref name="ting">[http://techcrunch.com/2012/02/02/tucows-officially-launches-ting-a-more-thoughtful-wireless-carrier/ Tucows Officially Launches a More Thoughtful Wireless Carrier], TechCrunch.com. Published 2012 February 2.</ref>

== History ==

== History ==

* '''1993''' Tucows began in Flint, Michigan. It was originally started by [[Scott Swedorski]] as a website to offer software on a freeware or shareware basis.

* '''1993''' Tucows began in Flint, Michigan. It was originally started by [[Scott Swedorski]] as a website to offer software on a freeware or shareware basis.

* '''1995''' Tucows is aquired by Toronto-based ISP Internet Direct.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5202/is_2007/ai_n19123779/ Tucows aquired by ISP Internet Direct]</ref>

* '''1995''' Tucows is aquired by Toronto-based ISP Internet Direct.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5202/is_2007/ai_n19123779/ Tucows aquired by ISP Internet Direct], FindArticles.com.</ref>

* '''1999''' Tucows is accredited by [[ICANN]] as a domain name [[registrar]].

* '''1999''' Tucows is accredited by [[ICANN]] as a domain name [[registrar]].

* '''2000''' Tucows launches an [[OpenSRS]] platform and began accepting domain name registrations from [[ISP]]s and web hosting companies.<ref>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-56905150.html Tucows launches OpenSRS]</ref>

* '''2000''' Tucows launches an [[OpenSRS]] platform and began accepting domain name registrations from [[ISP]]s and web hosting companies.<ref>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-56905150.html Tucows launches OpenSRS], HighBeam.com.</ref>

* '''2001''' Tucows merges with Infonautics, Inc., an internet information services company.<ref>[http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/nbreader.asp?ArticleID=17104 Tucows merged with Infonautics] </ref>  

* '''2001''' Tucows merges with Infonautics, Inc., an internet information services company.<ref>[http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/nbreader.asp?ArticleID=17104 Tucows merged with Infonautics], InfoToday.com.</ref>  

* '''2006''' Tucows acquires [[NetIdentity]]. At the time, [[NetIdentity]] owned 68% of all US and European surname domain names.<ref>[http://seekingalpha.com/article/12787-tucows-podcast-on-its-netidentity-acquisition-transcript Tucows acquires NetIdentity]</ref>

* '''2006''' Tucows acquires [[NetIdentity]]. At the time, [[NetIdentity]] owned 68% of all US and European surname domain names.<ref>[http://seekingalpha.com/article/12787-tucows-podcast-on-its-netidentity-acquisition-transcript Tucows acquires NetIdentity], SeekingAlpha.com.</ref>

* '''2007''' Tucows acquires ItsYourDomain.com,, a privately held [[ICANN]]-accredited wholesale registrar offering domain services through a network of over 2,500 affiliates with over 700,000 domains under management.<ref>[http://blog.domaintools.com/2007/07/itsyourdomain-acquired-by-tucows/ Tucows acquires ItsYourDomain.com]</ref>

* '''2007''' Tucows acquires ItsYourDomain.com,, a privately held [[ICANN]]-accredited wholesale registrar offering domain services through a network of over 2,500 affiliates with over 700,000 domains under management.<ref>[http://blog.domaintools.com/2007/07/itsyourdomain-acquired-by-tucows/ Tucows acquires ItsYourDomain.com], DomainTools.com. Published 2007 July.</ref>

* '''2008''' Tucows launches [[Hover.com]]. Tucows discontinues ItsYourDomain.com, NetIdentity, and DomainDirect, merges them, and forms Hover.<ref>[http://tucowsinc.com/news/2008/12/say-hello-to-hover/ Tucows launches Hover.com]</ref>

* '''2008''' Tucows launches [[Hover.com]]. Tucows discontinues ItsYourDomain.com, NetIdentity, and DomainDirect, merges them, and forms Hover.<ref>[http://tucowsinc.com/news/2008/12/say-hello-to-hover/ Tucows launches Hover.com], TucowsInc.com.</ref>

* '''2008''' Tucows announces the launch of [[Butterscotch.com]], an online video network with video tutorials to explain internet technology.<ref>[http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2008/06/c5625.html Tucows announces launch of Butterscotch.com]</ref>

* '''2008''' Tucows announces the launch of [[Butterscotch.com]], an online video network with video tutorials to explain internet technology.<ref>[http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2008/06/c5625.html Tucows announces launch of Butterscotch.com], NewsWire.ca. Published 2008 November.</ref>

* '''2010''' Tucows announces that it has undertaken a "Dutch auction" to purchase 3.9 million shares of its stock for a $.70 per share.<ref>[http://tucowsinc.com/news/ Tucows]</ref>

* '''2010''' Tucows announces that it has undertaken a "Dutch auction" to purchase 3.9 million shares of its stock for a $.70 per share.<ref>[http://tucowsinc.com/news/ Tucows], TucowsInc.com.</ref>

== Products and Services offered by Tucows==

== Products and Services offered by Tucows==

Tucows earned a name early on for being the first website to provide "freeware" and "shareware" software. They currently host more than 40,000 titles that are proven vires- and spyware-free through an international network of partner sites. These partner sites ensure that software downloads are fast, local, and secure.<ref>[http://www.tucows.com/about.html Tucows.com About Us]</ref>

Tucows earned a name early on for being the first website to provide "freeware" and "shareware" software. They currently host more than 40,000 titles that are proven vires- and spyware-free through an international network of partner sites. These partner sites ensure that software downloads are fast, local, and secure.<ref>[http://www.tucows.com/about.html Tucows.com About Us], Tucows.com.</ref>

Apart from Tucows.com, Tucows also owns many other sites:

Apart from Tucows.com, Tucows also owns many other sites:

===Ting===

===Ting===

In February, 2012, Tucows launched a new mobile carrier, Ting.<ref>[http://techcrunch.com/2012/02/02/tucows-officially-launches-ting-a-more-thoughtful-wireless-carrier/ Tucows Officially Launches a More Thoughtful Wireless Carrier, TechCrunch.com]</ref> The service is aimed at building a variable service around the customer's needs; for example, should you use minutes over or under the parameters of your current plan, you will be billed at whichever plan corresponds to your usage as opposed to facing over-usage fees or paying for more data and minutes than you use.

In February 2012, Tucows launched a new mobile carrier, Ting.<ref name="ting"></ref> The service is aimed at building a variable service around the customer's needs; for example, should a customer use minutes over or under the parameters of his or her current plan, he or she can expect to be billed at a plan that corresponds to usage rather than facing over-usage fees or paying for more data and minutes than used.

==Revenue==

==Revenue==

In the fourth quarter of 2011, Tucows posted a revenue of $26.4 million, which represented the 7th consecutive quarter of record revenue and brought annual revenue for 2011 to $97 million. Its domain portfolio reseller, [[YummyNames]], performed particularly well and saw its revenue up 24% over one year.<ref>[http://domainnamewire.com/2012/02/15/tucows-earnings/ Tucows Earnings, DomainNameWire.com]</ref>

In the fourth quarter of 2011, Tucows posted a revenue of $26.4 million, which represented the 7th consecutive quarter of record revenue and brought annual revenue for 2011 to $97 million. Its domain portfolio reseller, [[YummyNames]], performed particularly well and saw its revenue up 24% over one year.<ref>[http://domainnamewire.com/2012/02/15/tucows-earnings/ Tucows Earnings], DomainNameWire.com. Published 2012 February 15.</ref>

In January, 2012, Tucows announced that it will purchase a total of 7,569,952 shares of its Common Stock at $0.77 per share. The total purchase price of the stock is $5,828,863. The company expects to own approximately 46,047,337 shares issued and outstanding once the purchase transaction is completed.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2012/01/23/tucows-publishes-results-of-its-tender-offer/ Tucows Publishes Results Of Its Tender Offer]</ref>

In January 2012, Tucows announced that it will purchase a total of 7,569,952 shares of its Common Stock at $0.77 per share. The total purchase price of the stock is $5,828,863. The company expects to own approximately 46,047,337 shares issued and outstanding once the purchase transaction is completed.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2012/01/23/tucows-publishes-results-of-its-tender-offer/ Tucows Publishes Results Of Its Tender Offer], TheDomains.com. Published 2012 January 23.</ref>

==Other==

==Other==

In protest of [[SOPA]] and [[PIPA]], Tucows, along with other well-known sites on the Internet, blacked out their Tucows Software Download site on January 18th from 8am to 8pm EST (1300-0100 UTC).<ref>[http://tucowsinc.com/news/2012/01/why-we-dont-like-sopa/ Why We Don't Like SOPA, tucowsinc.com]</ref>

In protest of [[SOPA]] and [[PIPA]], Tucows, along with other well-known sites on the Internet, blacked out their Tucows Software Download site on January 18th from 8am to 8pm EST (1300-0100 UTC).<ref>[http://tucowsinc.com/news/2012/01/why-we-dont-like-sopa/ Why We Don't Like SOPA], Tucows.inc.</ref>

===UDRP===

===UDRP===

In November, 2012, A [[WIPO]] arbitrator declared that Tucows' Marker.com should be transferred to Marker Völkl (International) GmbH, a German ski-equipment manufacturer that owns Marker.de. The ruling did not result in a transfer given that their are ongoing legal proceedings initiated by both parties. Tucows got the domain name as part of its Mailbank acquisition of surnames, which is used to offer email addresses to customers. Marker noted that sponsored links on the page were for ski products.<ref>[http://domainnamewire.com/2012/11/16/tucows-loses-udrp-for-marker-com-but-it-aint-over-yet/ Tucows Loses UDRP for Marker Com, DomainNameWire.com] Retrieved 16 November 2012.</ref>

In November 2012, A [[WIPO]] arbitrator declared that Tucows' Marker.com should be transferred to Marker Völkl (International) GmbH, a German ski-equipment manufacturer that owns Marker.de. The ruling did not result in a transfer given that their are ongoing legal proceedings initiated by both parties. Tucows got the domain name as part of its Mailbank acquisition of surnames, which is used to offer email addresses to customers. Marker noted that sponsored links on the page were for ski products.<ref>[http://domainnamewire.com/2012/11/16/tucows-loses-udrp-for-marker-com-but-it-aint-over-yet/ Tucows Loses UDRP for Marker Com], DomainNameWire.com. Published 2012 November 16. Retrieved 16 November 2012.</ref>

== References ==

== References ==