EarthLink's TechCare Help Desk Solution Earns SSAE 16 SOC Certification

ATLANTA, May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- EarthLink, Inc. (NASDAQ: ELNK), a leading IT services and communications provider, today announced that it successfully completed the SSAE 16 SOC 2 certification for its TechCare outsourced help desk service. EarthLink TechCare is a fully managed, customizable, scalable end user help desk solution that enables businesses to relieve their overburdened IT staff, refocus on more strategic initiatives and reduce the cost of providing an in-house help desk.

"We are pleased that EarthLink now offers one of the nation's only SSAE 16 compliant outsourced end user help desk solutions," said Michael D. Toplisek, EarthLink Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "For businesses with complex compliance and security needs like those in the retail, healthcare and financial sectors, this independent validation of TechCare reassures them that their employees will experience a consistent, high-quality service."

The SSAE 16 audit and certification process validates EarthLink's technology, business and physical security processes and ensures they meet or exceed standards established by the nationally recognized Auditing Standards Board (ASB) of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The report includes a detailed description, management assertion and independent review of systems, processes and procedures supporting TechCare. EarthLink hosts its IT services in its geographically-diverse SSAE 16 compliant data centers located throughout the country and linked to EarthLink's nationwide IP network,

With EarthLink TechCare, experts build a customized offering fully integrated into the customer's IT environment. North America-based, certified professionals resolve end-user technology challenges by rapidly answering live calls, and provide a knowledgeable and courteous experience. EarthLink TechCare is a feature-rich service that enables clients to select from a menu of options or add support elements as needed including support of any end-user device, VIP support levels, online reporting tools, trouble ticketing system, 24/7 or 9/5 options, client satisfaction reports and ITIL best practices. With TechCare, EarthLink documents the business IT environment (networks, devices, printers, partners, applications, peripherals, VIPs), helps define escalation thresholds and processes for third party vendors, and ensures a seamless handoff for end-users.

About EarthLink
EarthLink, Inc. (NASDAQ: ELNK) is a leading IT services and communications provider to more than 150,000 businesses and one million consumers nationwide. EarthLink empowers customers with managed services including cloud computing, managed and private cloud, and virtualization services such as managed hosting and cloud workspace. EarthLink also offers a robust portfolio of IT security, application hosting, colocation and IT support services. The company operates an extensive network spanning 29,421 route fiber miles with 90 metro fiber rings and 8 secure data centers providing ubiquitous nationwide data and voice IP service coverage across more than 90 percent of the country. Founded in 1994, EarthLink's award-winning reputation for 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 at www.earthlink.net.

SOURCE EarthLink