EarthLink Inc. is filling the
demand for B2B high-speed Internet access with the
Wednesday launch of its EarthLink Biz Digital Subscriber Line Internet service.
EarthLink’s (ELNK)
B2B broadband access is available in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles and
San Francisco. The service is designed to bridge the gap between consumer
DSL offerings and pricier commercial connections like frame relay access
and T1 feeds.
Mike Ihde, EarthLink Biz vice president of sales, said the Atlanta-based
access provider took action to offer B2B high-speed services because about
half of its member’s use EarthLink accounts for business purposes.
“EarthLink Biz DSL gives them members an easy migration path when they’re
ready to step up to a faster service,” Ihde said. “We give the best of both
worlds to small businesses whose livelihood relies on fast and reliable
Internet access. We’ve combined the affordability of a consumer service
with the industrial-strength requirements of a business service.”
EarthLink’s broadband service is based on symmetrical digital subscriber
line (SDSL) technology. SDSL provides the same access speeds for upstream
and downstream data transfer. The speeds range from 144Kbps to 1.1 Mbps and
prices start at $129 a month. The service includes customized e-mail
options, a Web site and e-commerce capabilities.