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Company will continue internet service

Island Internet customers don't need to worry about losing their internet service or their e-mail addresses, says a representative of the company which has temporarily taken over the Nanaimo-based internet service provider, Alex Rinfret writes.
John Vickerstaff, vice-president of marketing and consumer services for Uniserve Communications, said Uniserve last week became the court-appointed receiver for Island Internet, and is committed to continuing uninterrupted service for its 5,500 customers on Vancouver Island and the Charlottes.
Mr. Vickerstaff said a disturbing e-mail message received by customers Feb. 20 was the last thing Island Internet senior partners sent out before vacating their offices. The message said that "due to circumstances not directly within our control, the future of Island Internet is uncertain" although they did not anticipate an immediate service disruption.
The next day, customers received an e-mail from Uniserve telling them their Island Internet services would be maintained and outlining some more information about the Vancouver-based company.
Mr. Vickerstaff said Uniserve is managing Island Internet for now, and hopes to end up owning it, although there are legal processes to go through first.
Uniserve provides internet services in many small communities across Canada, and Mr. Vickerstaff described it as offering a higher level of service than large providers like Shaw. For one example, he said, everyone who calls the customer service line gets to talk to a real live operator, not a maze of voice recordings.