Struggling ISP and broadband provider EarthLink has announced that it is pulling the plug on Philadelphia’s Wi-Fi network as of June 12, 2008. The move marks the latest chapter in EarthLink’s rapid exit from the never-really-materialized municipal Wi-Fi arena, in which metropolitan areas attempted to set up various forms of Wi-Fi Internet access for residents: late last year, EarthLink announced it was cutting funding for municipal Wi-Fi projects, preferring to take the hits for breaking contracts than continue to pour money into the projects. Previously, it had backed out of Wi-Fi networks in San Francisco and Houston.
Tag Archive: EarthLink
Sky Dayton Steps Down as Helio CEO
Sky Dayton—who previously founded a little ISP called Earthlink and Wi-Fi hotspot operator Boingo—is stepping down as CEO of the youth-oriented MVNO Helio to become a the non-executive chairman of the company’s board. Helio’s new CEO will be former president and COO Wonhee Sull.
As chair, Dayton will replace Jinwoo So, SK Telecom’s president of global business.
“Helio has reached a point in its development where I feel the timing is right for this change,” said Dayton, in a statement. “I will step into a new role as chairman and Wonhee will become CEO, utilizing his strong operational, product and service experience to manage Helio’s day-to-day operations. As we have for the past three years, the two of us will continue to define Helio’s direction and future.”
Earthlink Cuts Funding for Municipal Wi-Fi
It wasn’t very long ago that Internet provider Earthlink was hot-to-trot for municipal Wi-Fi efforts, famously putting its money where its mouth was an bidding to build-out wireless Internet capabilities in a variety of city centers, pledging to make Wi-Fi Internet access affordable, and perhaps make up the cost of operating and maintaining the network in advertising, high-end services, and premium access plans.
But when the nirvana of municipal Wi-Fi dreams failed to materialize, the company hired Rolla Huff to take a hard look at their business plans, and now the verdict is starting to come in: the company will not be making any further significant investments in municipal Wi-Fi plans unless someone comes up with a better revenue model.
Earthlink Abandons SF, Houston Wi-Fi
Nationwide ISP Earthlink is struggling to contain costs, recently announcing it is cutting 900 jobs and closing offices—but wht’s more, the company is giving up on plans to run municipal Wi-Fi networks in Houston and San Francisco, and may pull out of other municipal Wi-Fi deals in short order.
Although Earthlink has not yet commented publicly, comments to the Associated Press from the office of San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom indicate Earthlink has withdrawn from its year-and-a-half-old deal to deploy and operate a city-wide Wi-Fi network in San Francisco. The baseline tenant on Earthlink’s San Fransisco network was to have been Internet titan Google, which would have paid Earthlink to offer a free, low-speed Wi-Fi service in the city. Higher speed access would have been available for just over $20/month.
Earthlink Cutting Back
Internet service provider Earthlink has announced it’s going to shed 900 jobs and close four of its offices as it attempts to control operating costs.
The affected offices are will Orlando, Knoxville, Harrisburg, and San Francisco. Additionally, the company will “substantially reduce its presence” in Atlanta and Pasadena.
The company currently employs about 1,900 people, and expects the reductions to save it between $25 and $35 a year.
The major problem appears to be that potential customers want broadband rather than dial up service. Earthlink operates municipal wireless networks in four cities, and is studying those before deciding how to proceed.
TiVo Enters Bundling Deal with Earthlink
TiVo and Earthlink have announced an agreement to offer bundled television and Internet services via TiVo’s standalone Series2 Dual-Tuner DVR and Earthlink-braded dial-up, DSL, or digital voice offerings. The offerings should be available later this year, although no pricing details have been announced by the companies.
According to TiVo, subscribers to Earthlink-bundled services will be able to access value-added TiVo services, like access to Amazon Unbox (which just went “life” yesterday) and other broadband video offerings, along with TiVo’s traditional services including Season Pass subscriptions, WishList searches, online scheduling features, TiVo KidZone, and TiVoToGo transfers to put recorded media on portable devices.
San Francisco, Earthlink Ink Wi-Fi Deal
Following a long period of negotiation and debate, the city of San Francisco has inked a deal with Internet service provider Earthlink to provide universal, affordable Wi-Fi Internet access for the city. The deal is one of the most high-profile metropolitan Wi-Fi efforts—and, although unnamed in the agreement, Google apparently has a hand in operating aspects of the service.
Youth-Oriented Helio Phone Service Launches
Helio, a joint venture between Earthlink and South Korea’s SK Telecom, has formally launched its new mobile service aimed at today’s technologically-savvy youth (and young at heart). Headed up by Earthlink founder Sky Dayton, Helio aims to bring advances from the South Korean mobile market to U.S. users who can most appreciate it: kids and 20-somethings who’ve grown up in a world of mobile technology.
SF Picks Google, Earthlink for Wi-Fi
A San Francisco city panel yesterday identified a joint effort by Google and Earthlink as the best bet for establishing city-wide Wi-Fi service within the city. The high-profile project will carry an estimated price tag of $15 million; San Francisco can now begin negotiations with the companies over the details of the plan, although any effort would need the approval of the Board of Supervisors before it can go forward.
