By MICHAEL FOREMAN
Christchurch-based internet service provider Wizkid Internet has changed its name to F. U. Spot despite a complaint from Telecom that the name is ``offensive.''
F. U. Spot managing director Paul King, who applied for the name change on 1 February, claimed the new name had no ``deeper meaning'' and it was unrelated to a dispute with Telecom.
Mr King received a statutory demand from Telecom for $50,437.33 worth of unpaid telecommunications services on February 9.
The next day WizKid, with 300 users in the Christchurch area, was disconnected. The company is now subject to a winding up petition to be heard in the High court at Christchurch on May 15.
A Companies Office lawyer has confirmed he contacted Mr King after receiving a written complaint from Telecom earlier this month when he discovered ``what this name was believed to mean.''
A long-running Telecom television advertising campaign featured ``Spot,'' a Jack Russell Terrier who still appears on the company's stationery including its telephone bills.
The lawyer said the Companies Office could disallow company names on four grounds -- including for names that were deemed ``objectionable.''
However as the company was being wound up, the Companies Office decided it would take no further action.
But Mr King said he would ``vigorously defend'' the winding up proceedings as he did not believe he owed any money to Telecom.
Mr King claimed that when Telecom failed to deliver an IPNet service promised by October 1998, he was told that the existing lines would continue to be provided free of charge as a ``temporary measure''.
According to Mr King despite several complaints and five orders in writing, the IPNet service never materialised.
During this time Wizkid received monthly bills but Mr King said Telecom representative Alan Mitford-Taylor told him to ignore them.
``If any other business did not pay its phone account for over one month or so, Telecom would disconnect them,'' Mr King said. ``How come we were left connected for almost two years without payment?''
Telecom spokesman Glen Sowry agreed that Mr Mitford-Taylor did discuss IPNet with Mr King and did quote him a price.
However, he said ``neither Alan Mitford-Taylor nor Steve Ryan [another Telecom representative] had ever received any letter(s) or instructions from Wizkid to install any IPNet services following the provision of this quote. At no time did Alan M-T or Steve offer Wizkid Internet Ltd free telecommunications services.''
Disconnected ISP denies dig at Spot
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