Tucows Inc. - Domain Name Registration - Category Directory

96 Mowat Avenue
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6K 3M1
(416) 535-0123
www.tucows.com

Sales

$37 million

Business Description

Tucows provides Internet services and digital software content to end-users worldwide through a global Internet-based distribution network of more than 6,000 resellers in over 100 countries. Tucows generates revenue primarily through the provision of domain name registration and other Internet services to resellers who offer such services to their own customers. These resellers are a heterogeneous group of companies, including Internet service providers, web hosting providers and telecommunications and cable companies (collectively referred to as "Service Providers") that typically provide a critical component of an end-user's Internet presence and have a very high level of interaction with the end-user. In addition to domain name registration services, Tucows currently provides security and identity services (through digital certificates), email services, managed domain name system or "DNS" and plans to introduce a number of additional Internet services in the future. Tucows' distributes its services to resellers using its Open Shared Reseller System, or "OpenSRS" platform, which provides the technical infrastructure that allows Service Providers to register and manage the provisioning of Tucows' services to their end-users. Tucows' provides its services on either a wholesale or private label basis, allowing Service Providers to deal directly with their own end-user customers. By using Tucows' services, Service Providers are able to avoid the costs and complexities of building in-house systems and to focus on their customer acquisition and retention strategies.

Tucows' goal is to leverage its global distribution channel, its expanding line of service offerings and its reputation for exemplary customer service and support to become the preferred supplier of a broad range of Internet services to the Service Provider channel on a global basis.

In addition to generating revenue through the provision of domain name registration and other Internet services, Tucows' generates advertising and other revenue through its online libraries of shareware, freeware and online services available at its web site www.tucows.com. Advertising revenue is generated from third party advertisers and from software developers who rely on Tucows as a primary source of distribution. Software developers use Tucows' Author Resource Center to submit their products for inclusion in the Tucows libraries and to purchase promotional placement of their software in the library categories as well as purchase other promotional services on a cost per click or flat rate basis. The libraries are available to end-users around the world via Tucows' internet facilities and via a global network of internet service companies who elect to mirror the Tucows libraries locally. Tucows also generates revenue from companies who contract with it to provide them with co-branded content and customized search agent services using Tucow's Sleuth technologies.