Kent-based wireless ISP Telabria Ltd has called in the liquidators and has begun selling off its network assets.

Accountancy firm Smith and Williamson said it had been called in by Telabria directors on 15 November to liquidate the firm. Telabria's wireless networking kit has been sold off to fellow Kent broadband outfit OrbitalNet.

OrbitalNet MD Darren Brown said he had purchased the gear last week and has been working to get Telabria's customers back online. So Broadband punters in Canterbury and the surrounding area - around 50 per cent of the customer base - are already back up, he said. Sittingbourne and the Isle of Sheppey are still down, among others.

Telabria was founded by CEO and Silicon Valley veteran Jim Baker in 2003 to provide fast wireless access to the south east. Alarm bells started ringing recently when prices were jacked up 50 per cent and expansion plans detailed on the company website were removed.

A spokesman for Smith and Williamson said there will be a creditors meeting at its Maidstone offices on 11 December.

Telabria were unavailable to comment.®

Related stories

• One in three businesses uses niche ISP (29 January 2007)
• NewNet braces for customer losses (4 January 2007)
• Norwich turns on UK's largest Wi-Fi network (2 August 2006)
• National Express trials in-coach Wi-Fi (10 March 2006)
• Pipex WiMAX play to shake up UK market? (30 August 2005)
• Kent students get hyper fast WiMAX broadband (23 May 2005)
• Kent gets UK's first WiMAX network (4 November 2004)
• Kent pubs win rural broadband award (28 June 2004)