EarthLink Boosts Home Networking Service for High-Speed Customers With Free Basic Hardware Offer

Business Wire, Feb 14, 2002

Business Editors

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 14, 2002

EarthLink's basic EarthLink Home Networking gateway now

free of charge with limited-time promotion

EarthLink (Nasdaq:ELNK) today announced a promotion on its plug-and-play EarthLink Home Networking service that makes the basic gateway hardware free of charge. Available through March 31, the $149.95 discount deal makes the up-front cost of the wired version of EarthLink Home Networking free, and cuts the up-front cost of the wireless version in half, to just $150.

The next big thing for Internet users, EarthLink Home Networking allows subscribers to share their high-speed DSL connection throughout their home and easily link all their computers, printers and peripherals onto a central, shared network. The resulting system enables entire families and individuals to enjoy a variety of Internet, telephony and entertainment applications simultaneously. According to the Yankee Group's Networked Home Survey, 58 percent of broadband households and 40 percent of online PC households have multiple PCs. In addition, 67 percent of broadband households and 59 percent of online PC households were "very" or "somewhat" interested in home networking.

"This year we're trying our best to deliver the promise of sharing a high-speed connection throughout the home to a much broader audience, and I can't think of a better way to kick off that effort than to offer the hardware for free," said Erika Jolly, vice president of value added services at EarthLink. "Home networking makes a high-speed Internet connection much more convenient and useful, and we want to make it as accessible for our customers as possible."

The wired version of EarthLink Home Networking uses a home's standard telephone wiring or Ethernet to give users the ability to share their high-speed Internet connection and to network PCs, peripherals and Internet appliances without adding any additional wiring. The wireless version of EarthLink Home Networking adds the ability to connect multiple computers throughout the home wirelessly using an integrated WiFi (802.11b) antenna. In addition, the HomePortal gateway provides commercial-grade firewall protection.

Consisting of a $50 price reduction and a $99.95 rebate, EarthLink's $149.95 discount Home Networking promotion is effective until March 31, 2002. EarthLink Home Networking service costs $9.95 per month for full, unlimited support. For more information about EarthLink home networking services, please call 800-336-9519 or visit http://www.earthlink.net/home-networking/. For information about EarthLink's other award-winning Internet access, Web hosting and e-commerce services, please call 800-395-8425 or visit www.earthlink.net.

About EarthLink High Speed Internet

With more than 471,000 high-speed subscribers, EarthLink is one of the leading broadband Internet service providers. EarthLink is the only ISP to offer high-speed Internet access nationally through all three major broadband technologies: cable, DSL and two-way satellite. The company also offers its award-winning Internet services on a wholesale basis via cable, DSL and fixed wireless technologies. Its commitment to offer a variety of broadband technologies through multiple vendors allows EarthLink to offer its high-speed services to customers in more areas of the country.

About EarthLink

EarthLink brings the magic of the Internet to approximately 4.8 million subscribers every day. Headquartered in Atlanta, EarthLink provides a full range of innovative access, hosting and e-commerce solutions to thousands of communities over a nationwide network of dial-up points of presence, as well as high-speed access and wireless technologies. EarthLink is committed to doing an exceptional job of pleasing its subscribers, shareholders and the community by following the company's Core Values and Beliefs (http://www.earthlink.net/about/ourvalues/cvb/index.html). Information about EarthLink services is available by calling 800-395-8425 and through EarthLink's Web site at www.earthlink.net.