EarthLink Wi-Fi continues to make its way across the country as the company, today, reached a deal with the City of Corpus Christi, TX. Under this agreement, EarthLink takes ownership of the Wi-Fi network currently deployed in Corpus Christi and enters into a franchise agreement that enables EarthLink Municipal Networks business unit to provide residents and businesses with retail Wi-Fi Internet service.

The City of Corpus Christi built its network to improve public safety, utility reading, and other City services. Working with the CC Digital Community Development Corporation, which was created to operate and manage the City's wireless mesh and fiber optic network, EarthLink will complement Corpus Christi's Wi-Fi mission by providing affordable, high-speed, wireless Internet access to residents, businesses and visitors.

"We are pleased to have this opportunity to partner with EarthLink Municipal Networks," said George K. "Skip" Noe, city manager of Corpus Christi. "The EMN relationship will enable us to provide the Corpus Christi community with competitive commercial Internet services, give ISPs an equal opportunity to participate, and ensure a return on the City's current and ongoing network investment."

"We look forward to offering award-winning Internet service to Corpus Christi residents and businesses over the City's Wi-Fi network," said Donald Berryman, president of EarthLink's municipal networks unit. "Over the past decade, we've won numerous 'best in class' awards for our dial-up and high speed tools and products and are expanding that commitment to customer service and support to our growing base of EarthLink Wi-Fi customers."

EarthLink will offer 30 consecutive days of free service available for all residents of and visitors to Corpus Christi once the ISP has taken ownership and optimized the network, so that users can test and use the EarthLink Wi-Fi services anywhere throughout the Wi-Fi mesh network.

Corpus Christi residents will be able to subscribe to EarthLink Wi-Fi Internet access for about $20 a month. Subscribers will receive all the products and support they have come to expect from EarthLink, including eight mailboxes and the ISP's powerful protection tools, such as spamBlocker and the EarthLink Protection Control Center. Qualifying customers also receive a Wi-Fi modem for at-home use. In addition, EarthLink will enable multiple, competing providers, such as PeoplePC (http://www.peoplepc.com), to offer their services to consumers and businesses over its network as part of its commitment to open access.

"The City has evaluated network partnership opportunities for several months," Noe said. "EarthLink Municipal Networks, a national leader, has uniquely demonstrated concrete interest and ability to support the CC Digital Community Development Corporation's network partnership requirements in the immediate future. Beyond the partnership with EMN, the Corporation will continue to develop network, technology, and application partnerships that further advance government, business, educational, and community opportunities for Corpus Christi, Texas."

The CC Digital Community Development Corporation was created by the City of Corpus Christi, Texas to leverage the City's information infrastructure for the advancement of the entire community. In December 2006, the City completed a fiber optic and Wi-Fi mesh network that provides coverage to 85% of the city's 280,000 residents.

More information about the CC Digital Community Development Corporation is available at ccwifi.org. KW