EarthLink Network Inc. and Sprint Communications Co. L.P. Monday joined forces to offer co-branded Digital
Subscriber Line access through Sprint’s DSL network.
EarthLink’s effort to make broadband access available on existing copper
lines signals another move by a national ISP to hasten the deployment
advanced Internet access.
The companies forecast that by 2002, the EarthLink Sprint DSL Internet
service will be available to more than 2.5 million people in the 18-state Sprint service area.
DSL access has been launched in Charlottesville, Va. for just under $53 a
month when customers elect to contract for 1-year of service. Services will
be introduced in Las Vegas, Nev., and in selected communities in the
Orlando, Fla., and Kansas City, Mo., markets this summer.
“This DSL service is one of the first that’s priced low enough that
consumers can enjoy the speed of broadband, so we expect lots of
residential interest in EarthLink Sprint DSL Internet access,” said Bill
Heys, senior vice president at EarthLink.
Heyes added that “high-speed technologies are the wave of the future on the
Internet, and thanks to our alliance, Sprint and EarthLink are emerging at
the forefront of the DSL market.”
Mike Fuller, president of SprintLTD said, “Our unique relationship with
EarthLink allows us to leverage both companies’ core competencies to offer
consumers and businesses world-class speed, reliability and support.”
DSL technology utilizes existing copper telephone wires for high-speed
communications. It allows voice and data to be carried over the same lines
simultaneously. Subscribers may speak on the phone, fax someone and use the
Internet at the same time.
