1989—The Foundations of Connexus Are Set
The way of communicating online prior to the modern-day internet was through a network of bulletin boards (BBSs). BBS were run by technical enthusiasts who connected a modem to their computer and provided a range of software downloads and discussion forums for users. Connexus' founder, Greg Holloway, setup a BBS in 1989 connected to an Epson XT computer with a 200 MB hard drive and one phone line. Over the forthcoming years, it expanded to four phone lines and had a userbase of over 1000.
1994—The Internet Arrives in Australia
Connexus quickly followed Australia's universities in connecting permanently to the worldwide internet. Connexus' users were then able to connect to the internet, initially through a Unix-based text interface, and later through the Netscape browser. Connexus was one of the first ISP's in Australia and focused on providing a high-quality service at a low cost.
1997—Connexus Relocates to Collins Street, Melbourne
Thanks to strong word-of-mouth activity amongst its userbase, Connexus quickly outgrew the telecommunications infrastructure in the Blackburn household where it was first established. More capacity could not be installed, forcing Connexus to relocate its data centre to Collins Street, Melbourne, the same street in which it remains today.
1998—Connexus Expands Services to Sydney and Beyond
Facing increased demand from customers outside Melbourne, Connexus establishes local facilites in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and the Gold Coast to service an increasingly growing market.
1999—New Business Services Introduced
As more businesses seek to gain an internet presence, Connexus introduces services such as Website Hosting and Domain Name Registration, as well as setting up an exclusive access line and support area for businesses to ensure their needs were prioritised ahead of households. The same priortisation continues today.
2001—Broadband ADSL is Launched!
Connexus becomes one of the first providers in Australia of Broadband ADSL services, initially available at speeds up to 1.5 Mbps. Connexus focuses exclusively on Business services, attracting a wide customer base through clever marketing, great value and professional, business-quality service.
2002—24-Hour Gold Support Introduced
Facing increasing demand from business customers, Connexus introduces a 24-hour, 7-day 'Gold Support Line' to provide its most valuable business customers with immediate assistance when required. Calls are routed directly to an engineer, providing a level of service well beyond any competitor.
2003—Business-Grade SHDSL Services Introduced
With business customers seeking greater upload throughput, Connexus introduces new SDSL and SHDSL, services which offer throughput of up to 4 Mbps in both directions simultaneously. The new services proves very popular for companies hosting websites and other content.
2004—Business VPN and MPLS Introduced
Again in response to the rising demands of its business clientele, Connexus upgrades its core network to the latest-generation Cisco routers. These enable Connexus to offer professional VPN (Virtual Private Network) services to businesses with multiple sites—anywhere within Australia.
2005—New Fibre Contracts Signed
Connexus enters into contracts with the country's leading fibre optic providers to service businesses at speeds not available through DSL infrastructure. Fibre services are now available through Connexus in all Australian cities at speeds of up to 1 Gbps.
2006—Filtering, Hosting Service for Schools Introduced
After lengthy in-house development by a team of dedicated staff, Connexus launches its CSN—Connexus Schools Network—service. CSN provides high-level content filtering, reporting and e-mail hosting designed for Australian schools. Connexus is approved by the Department of Education as one of only four providers authorised to service Victorian schools.
2007—ADSL Speeds Increased to 8 Mbps
Connexus upgrades its ADSL network to offer 8 Mbps services. This represents a 5-fold speed increase for customers previously connecting on a 1.5 Mbps ervice. The new 8 Mbps services are available right across Australia, like most Connexus services.
2008—New Business Solutions Team
Business customers remain the focus of Connexus as it refines its product offering and introduces high-speed Wireless to accompany DSL and Fibre solutions. A new Business Solutions Brochure is produced and sales campaigns structured to emphasise Connexus' strong competitiveness in the Business market.
