Subject: [NEXTEL-1] EarthLink Introduces Voice-over-IP Phone Service

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2003 07:25:43 -0500

EarthLink Introduces Voice-over-IP Phone Service

Internet service provider EarthLink is introducing a voice-over-IP phone service
called EarthLink Unlimited Voice. The new Internet service includes free
unlimited local, regional and long distance calling for a flat rate and such features
as voice mail, caller ID, call waiting, call return and call forwarding. EarthLink
Unlimited Voice provides phone service to high-speed cable and DSL
subscribers. EarthLink customers across the U.S. can sign up for the phone
service for a flat rate of $39.99 per month. With the service's area code selection
feature, customers select from a list of over 115 area codes in cities across the
United States. The voice-over-IP service, called one more thing for local phone
companies to worry about, is provided through Vonage, which is credited for
making calling over the Internet easier. Customers using the EarthLink service
plug their regular phones into an adapter, and they can call any one with any
kind of phone. Voice-over-IP phone services lack emergency features such as
911, and customers lose the phone service when their Internet service goes
down. EarthLink said its service is designed to be a second line

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EarthLink patches in phone service

By Jim Hu
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
March 13, 2003, 8:37 AM PT

EarthLink on Thursday launched an Internet phone offering in its latest attempt to
bundle paid services with high-speed access.

Called EarthLink Unlimited Voice, the product offers unlimited, flat-rate local and
long-distance calling on top of the company's digital subscriber line (DSL) and cable
broadband service. The package, which also includes voice mail, call waiting, caller ID,
call
forwarding and call return, will cost an additional $39.99 on top of a $41.95 to $49.95
monthly broadband subscription.

As previously reported, the calling service will be provided by Vonage.

The launch is the latest move by
EarthLink to sell ancillary services
on top of its broadband access.
EarthLink, the nation's third-largest
Internet service provider (ISP), has
partnered with third parties to offer
music, online gaming and home
networking features to its
broadband users.

Many Internet companies are
launching premium services as a
way to offset losses incurred by
the collapse in online advertising
dollars. Web portal Yahoo has
placed heavy emphasis on growing
premium services; it had 2.2
million paid users as of last
December. America Online has
signaled that it plans to introduce more paid services as well, now that its online
advertising
revenue is expected to plummet 40 percent to 50 percent this year.

EarthLink faces an overall slowdown in its dial-up ISP subscriptions, which declined 4
percent
in 2002 to 4.03 million. Meanwhile, its broadband customers jumped 65.4 percent to 779,000

between 2001 and 2002.

The company hopes to continue finding ways to offer premium add-ons to its broadband
subscribers.

"We're looking to see what else our customers will want to use their connections for, and
for
high-speed connections this is a great option," EarthLink spokesman David Blumenthal said
in
reference to the new phone service.

http://news.com.com/2100-1032-992431.html
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