EarthLink Completes Phase I of Eastern Tennessee Middle Mile Fiber Broadband Project

ATLANTA, March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- EarthLink, Inc. (Nasdaq: ELNK), a leading IP infrastructure and services company, today announced the completion of Phase I of the Eastern Tennessee Middle Mile Fiber Broadband Project by its business communications segment EarthLink Business.

In March of 2010, DeltaCom, Inc., now an EarthLink Business company, was awarded the $9.4 million in federal stimulus funding by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) through the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) to enable the network expansion. The Phase I network expansion includes a 343-mile overbuild of an existing diverse fiber optic route from Nashville to Knoxville and the addition of a new diverse fiber optic route from Knoxville to Chattanooga. This network expansion is now ready for wholesale SONET intercity transport service.  Deployment of a new diverse fiber optic route from Knoxville to Blountville is underway and targeted to be ready for SONET transport service by the end of the first quarter of 2011.

The final phase of the project, targeted for completion in the third quarter of 2011, includes the addition of five new interconnection points, including Cookeville, Oak Ridge, Cleveland, Sweetwater and Morristown, Tennessee. These communities are located in counties designated as underserved by Connected Tennessee, an independent non-profit organization that develops and implements effective strategies for technology deployment, use and literacy in Tennessee.

The new network will not only enable broadband access for a number of core community institutions, including education and healthcare providers, but also allow Internet service providers to connect to the EarthLink network for intercity transport service. Combined with recent corporate acquisitions, this fiber broadband expansion also allows EarthLink Business to further expand network coverage and continue to build nationwide connectivity for businesses with locations across the U.S.  

"We are excited to continue to expand our network footprint and fiber assets and provide increased connectivity options for both new and existing business customers," said Jim O'Brien, EarthLink Business Executive Vice President of Network Services and Customer Operations. "Partnering with these organizations to help implement more efficient communications will allow them to better serve their constituencies in Tennessee and beyond."

When complete, this Federal grant funded project will comprise a fiber optic network of more than 500 miles in Eastern Tennessee which will provide middle mile broadband services to carrier customers, community anchor institutions, and last mile service providers in speeds up to 10Gbps.

About EarthLink

EarthLink, Inc. (Nasdaq: ELNK) is a leading provider of Internet Protocol (IP) infrastructure and services to medium-sized and large businesses, enterprise organizations and over 1.5 million consumers across the United States.  The company has been providing Internet access and communications services for decades and has earned an award-winning reputation for both outstanding customer service and product innovation.  For consumers, EarthLink is a leading Internet Service Provider connecting people to the power and possibilities of the Internet.  EarthLink Business™ provides voice, data, mobile and equipment services over a Southeast fiber network and MPLS-based services nationwide.  For more information, visit EarthLink's website www.earthlink.net

SOURCE EarthLink