Dis-ConnectSouth

(Telephony) ConnectSouth Communications, high-speed connectivity and Internet business tools provider, has closed its doors, according to an announcement yesterday by Mariner Networks, a ConnectSouth business partners.

Creditors forced ConnectSouth into bankruptcy, according to a spokesman at Pierpont Communications, a public-relations firm that handled ConnectSouth until two months ago.

In a letter dated Feb. 23, ConnectSouth warned customers of its plan to permanently terminate its network and business services on or before March 24. The company cited the financial market downturn as the cause.

“This letter is to notify you that ConnectSouth intends to liquidate the business in an orderly fashion,” the letter read. “To ensure that you do not experience difficulties with you service, we recommend that you make arrangements to transfer you service to another provider before March 2, 2001.”

The Austin-based company could not be reached by phone today, and the company’s Web site is down.