NetStumbler

Earthlink Shifts Municipal Wi-Fi Strategy

Eliza Villarino — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:25:02 +0000

Earthlink has abandoned its original business strategy for municipal wireless networks. “We’re also beginning a dialog with the municipalities that we’ve partnered with, and that we’re considering partnering with,” said Earthlink President and CEO Rolla P. Huff. “The Wi-Fi business as currently constituted will not provide an acceptable return … We’re going to look for municipal governments to step up and become a meaningful anchor tenant on completion of the build,” Huff added.

The review came amid contract negotiations with San Francisco, whose mayor, Gavin Newsom, voiced frustration over the hold-ups from the Board of Supervisors and revealed that the city lacks a back-up plan if Earthlink and Google withdraw from the project.

Muni-wireless expert Craig Settles said EarthLink’s announcement could bring “some sanity” in WiFi project talks. “If there’s hope for this industry, it’s that more cities will start serious benefit analyses within governments of the impact of muni wireless on operations, as well as conduct similar analyses within business, medical and education constituencies that could all be anchor tenants,” Settles remarked. “San Francisco, unfortunately, may not be demonstrating good judgment if they dismiss anchor tenancy out of hand unless they still have their sights on owning the network. I’m surprised — sort of — by the smaller cities that stomp their feet and pout like petulant kids, refusing to even discuss buying services because they think their cities deserve a free ride.”
Via [govtech.com]

EarthLink Scales Back, Focuses Muni Wi-Fi Effort

Kristin Abraham — Tue, 15 May 2007 09:22:42 +0000

EarthLink’s latest move is sending minor shockwaves through the Wi-Fi community. The company has decided to turn its attention away from municipalities and focus on existing deals and big cities. The company cites its first quarter earnings, or losses rather, as the reason for its shift in focus. With a loss of $30 million the company plans to cut in half its capital expenditures on municipal Wi-Fi services. The company has also discovered that not only technical problems lie in their path to Wi-Fi dominance but political in fighting in the cities looking for service has become a huge stumbling block. Low subscription response has also put a damper on the enthusiasm of EarthLink and other providers. Until municipal Wi-Fi becomes more lucrative and attractive to providers it may remain just a pipe dream.
Via [computerworld.com]

EarthLink To Offer Wi-Fi Handsets

Kristin Abraham — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 08:11:00 +0000

EarthLink has a new Wi-Fi phone, which may be hitting the market this summer. Currently in beta tests, the phone will let you make calls over the Internet through wireless broadband connections. To push this initiative along, EarthLink has been working with a number of cities to establish municipal Wi-Fi networks. The EarthLink phone and the service was designed to be a less expensive alternative for traditional telephone services and, in Wi-Fi hotspots, it can replace your cell phone. EarthLink is investing heavily in the Internet telephony market but faces some stiff competition from other providers such as Vonage and Skype and, across the board acceptance may be more of a long-term goal.
Via [informationweek.com]

EarthLink Aims For New Municipal Wi-Fi Contract

Eliza Villarino — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 16:44:00 +0000

EarthLink is looking to clinch a contract for a 23-square-mile wireless network in Pasadena, California. The Pasadena deal, if it pushes through, will be the ISP’s fourth muni-wireless contract in the state — the company is likewise running similar projects in Anaheim, Milpitas and San Francisco. Earthlink launched its first Californian network in Anaheim, which became operational in late June. It also has ongoing WiFi projects in Philadelphia and New Orleans.
Via [wirelessweek.com]

Anaheim’s First Taste Of EarthLink Muni Wi-Fi

RenderMan — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 12:51:00 +0000

Anaheim’s municipal wireless network was finally fired up. The network, installed and run by Earthlink is a taste of what’s to come. The network has not had it’s share of problems. Interference and poor infoor penetration are problems still being worked out. The network has no plans for free service, but does have reasonable cost plans for residents and visitors.
Via [news.zdnet.com]

Why EarthLink Needs Wi-Fi To Work

RenderMan — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 21:48:00 +0000

ISP’s are facing a problem. Dial-up is dying and broadband is levelling off. How do you get new customers to continue growth? Well, for Earthlink, they are betting thier chips in WiFi in San Francisco, hoping that they can make a go of it. After many years of renting other companies infrastructure, it will be interesting to see how they do with building thier own.
Via [money.cnn.com]

S.F. Picks Google, EarthLink

RenderMan — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 20:20:00 +0000

San franciso went with the Google/Earthlink partnership for bringing metro Wifi to the city. The partnership will be free for the city and provide free access to visitors and residents. There is talk of a pay service above the free, but presumably that means an ad free experience and uncapped speed. The decision was met without any opposition from telco’s which were expected to fight to project, but appear to have given up.
Via [sfgate.com]

Walk On The Wireless Side: EarthLink Has Plan For Hub

Wayne Slavin — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 08:55:00 +0000

A proposal from Internet service provider EarthLink Inc. to unwire Boston would deliver cheap broadband access to residents at no cost to the city, according to an EarthLink blueprint circulating among city officials.
Via [business.bostonherald.com]

Google, EarthLink Submit S.F. Wi-Fi Plan

Wayne Slavin — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 12:43:00 +0000

Google and EarthLink have teamed up to submit a proposal to create a city-wide wireless Internet network for San Francisco, officials said Tuesday.
Via [mercurynews.com]

EarthLink, Motorola Sign Wi-Fi Contract

Wayne Slavin — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 10:23:00 +0000

Internet service provider EarthLink Inc. said Thursday it signed a contract with Motorola Inc. under which the cell phone maker would provide wireless equipment and related services for the initial five cities where EarthLink will set-up municipal wireless fidelity, or Wi-Fi, broadband Internet access networks.
Via [businessweek.com]

EarthLink Gambles On Wireless

Wayne Slavin — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 17:14:00 +0000

This year will be the year that EarthLink, one of the country’s largest ISPs, decided to cast its future success with wireless communications.
Via [wirelessweek.com]

Q&A With Boingo Wireless’ Sky Dayton

Wayne Slavin — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 15:45:00 +0000

The Wi-Fi-network aggregator’s founder sees unlimited potential for the technology — if it gets much easier to use.
Via [businessweek.com]

EarthLink Hooks Up To Wireless Broadband

Wayne Slavin — Wed, 19 May 2004 15:01:00 +0000

Internet service provider EarthLink will work with Digitalpath Networks to offer wireless broadband access in certain Northern California cities, under a deal to be announced Wednesday.
Via [zdnet.com.com]

EarthLink Sets Up Shop With Wi-Fi

Wayne Slavin — Wed, 12 Jun 2002 04:41:00 +0000

EarthLink added Wi-Fi to its arsenal of wireless offerings on Tuesday.
Via [news.com.com]