Telefónica Europe business was rebranded to 'O2 Online' which continues in the UK as a mobile communications service provider tied to the O2 UK network. The Genie portal properties were rebranded O2 Active in UK, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands, and Genie Asia became O2 Asia. O2 Asia became a subsidiary of O2 UK for governance purposes. On 31 October 2005, O2 agreed to be taken over by Telefónica, a Spanish telecommunications company, with a cash offer of £17.7 billion, or £2 per share. According to the merger announcement, O2 retained its name and continued to be based in the United Kingdom,
Shift Communications Shift Communications Shift Communications is a marketing firm based in Boston with offices in New York, San Francisco and Austin. The company was founded in 2003, when the assets of former public relations firm Sterling Hager was acquired by three of its executives. In 2006, it created the first Social Media Release. The firm's primary practices areas are in the healthcare, technology and consumer markets. Shift Communications was founded in May 2003 out of a technology PR firm, Sterling Hager. Mr. Sterling Hager sold the firm's assets to three of his executives, Jim Joyal, Todd Defren and Ed Weiler, who