Fixed wireless UK ISP NOW (formerly known as 'Netvigator'), which is owned by Hong Kong's PCCW, has allegedly been put up for sale. The provider had started strong acquiring 15 spectrum licences across the country for wireless broadband but has failed to deliver upon its promises.

To date NOW has managed to amass a paltry 14,000 customers, part of which is being blamed on its limited coverage and poor packages. Their top speed of 1Mbps (£18 per month) hardly appears competitive against today’s modern and faster services.

Having made a pre-tax loss of £23.3 million during 2005, NOW have been running uphill ever since. It's understood that the provider has already had discussions with at least one potential buyer, although denies talk of a sale in public.

The Financial Times report follows a related announcement from PCCW, which revealed plans to test a WiMAX Voice service through NOW by the end of this year. We understand that PCCW had initially been waiting for regulatory approval before proceeding.