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Blog 'earthlink' » EarthLink aims to evolve

By Marguerite Reardon, CNET News.com

Published on ZDNet News: October 11, 2005, 10:00 AM PT

Internet service provider EarthLink is taking big steps to gain its independence from the cable and DSL providers it relies on for access to broadband customers.

The company has taken some heavy knocks in the past few months. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an earlier ruling declaring that cable providers do not have to share access to their networks. The Federal Communications Commission soon followed with a ruling that essentially said DSL providers don't have to offer discounted rates to ISPs, such as EarthLink, which use DSL networks to deliver services.

The two rulings sounded like death knells for a company that has become increasingly dependent on the cable and DSL providers that give it access to their networks.

Continues @ ZDNet
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