EarthLink and XCast Announce Completion of Network-to-Network Interface

ATLANTA, Jan. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- EarthLink, Inc. (NASDAQ: ELNK), a leading IT services and communications provider, today announced the completion of 100 Mbps Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) connections in Los Angeles and Chicago with strategic partner XCast Labs, Inc, a VoIP provider and longtime member of EarthLink's AX ecosystem. The redundant NNI connections will greatly enhance seamless delivery of XCast's voice service and customers' data networking services over EarthLink's nationwide MPLS network. These connections will help to further enhance the overall customer experience, with increased network reliability and joint network visibility and management. 

"These NNI connections are the culmination of months of cooperative effort from both EarthLink and XCast personnel, and we are proud of the successful outcome," said Susan Kelley, Executive Vice President of XCast.  "We look forward to the continued success our strategic partnership provides." 

EarthLink and XCast have jointly deployed dozens of dedicated Voice over MPLS networks for customers around the country, and several business clients are already realizing the benefits. 

Ralph Vera, IT Manager for Volunteers of America said, "Working together, XCast and EarthLink provide the very best in support, consultation and innovation. The combined companies have a team of professionals with which every IT manager or management team would want to work." Vera concluded, "You don't often see this kind of cooperation between individual companies for the good of the customer. Seamlessly operating joint networks gives me greater confidence in my decision to award EarthLink and XCast my business."

EarthLink's Executive Vice President of Marketing Cardi Prinzi stated, "We are excited about the evolution of our partnership with XCast.  These network improvements further enrich what has already been a mutually rewarding relationship."

About EarthLink

EarthLink, Inc. (NASDAQ: ELNK) is a leading IT services, network and communications provider to more than 150,000 businesses and over one million consumers nationwide. EarthLink empowers customers with managed IT services including cloud computing, data centers, virtualization, security, applications and support services, in addition to nationwide data and voice IP services. The company operates an extensive network including 28,000 route fiber miles, 90 metro fiber rings and 4 secure data centers providing ubiquitous IP coverage across more than 90 percent of the country. Founded in 1994, the company's award-winning reputation for both outstanding service and product innovation is supported by an experienced team of professionals focused on best-in-class customer care.  For more information, visit EarthLink's website www.earthlink.net.

About XCast Labs

The XCast engineering team was the first to install a SIP Softswitch for a major carrier. For over a decade the XCast team has enriched this technology, making it more feature rich and improving the quality and cost-competitiveness of all Voice and Video over the Internet (VVoIP) products and services.  Their development team pioneered the development of most of the VVoIP features that are now in the marketplace. The XCast- patented Direct RTP (Real-Time Protocol) technology for voice and video communications greatly increases call quality and reliability, while significantly reducing latency. As a result, XCast is proud to claim a unique and proprietary technology that offers customers a complete suite of fully integrated, reliable and scalable services.

SOURCE EarthLink, Inc.