EarthLink Exiting Wi-Fi Business; Problems in Phil
Submitted: November 18, 2007 - 8:33pm
Last updated: February 21, 2008 - 10:40am
EARTHLINK IS LEAVING WI-FI BUSINESS; PROBLEMS IN PHILLY
EarthLink, which is building a city-wide Wi-Fi network in Philadelphia and other cities, announced it will consider "strategic alternatives" for that business, which it said is worth about $40 million. Though it did not spell out those alternatives, the company said it will work closely with the cities that have embarked on wireless projects with it. Three years after Mayor John Street announced Philadelphia would be the first major U.S. city to have its own network for wireless Internet access, the project is nearly a year behind schedule and beset by cost overruns. Technical problems and restructuring at EarthLink Inc., the Atlanta-based Internet service provider that won the 10-year contract to set up and manage the network, slowed the process. But its future grew much murkier Friday, with Earthlink's announcement that it is considering "strategic alternatives" -- in other words, a possible sale -- for its municipal Wi-Fi business.
* EarthLink looks to leave municipal Wi-Fi business http://www.philly.com/philly/business/breaking/20071116_EarthLink_looks_...
* Philly Wi-Fi Network Hits Snags, Delays http://www.cnbc.com/id/21840824/for/cnbc?__source=RSS*tag*&par=RSS
