Ideal Software Systems Selects EarthLink Hosted Voice to Enhance Customer Service and Improve Employee Productivity

ATLANTA, July 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- EarthLink, Inc. (NASDAQ: ELNK), a leading IT and communications provider, today announced that Ideal Software Systems, Inc., a Mississippi-based developer of integrated hardware and software systems and e-commerce solutions for the family entertainment and financial industries, selected EarthLink Complete™ Hosted Voice for a fully-integrated Voice-over-IP system that enables the company to better serve its worldwide clientele with a more efficient operation.

As a 24/7 organization, Ideal Software needs to quickly respond to its global clientele and provide a superior customer experience during and after business hours. "We needed a solution that would streamline our call routing for 24-hour support with a single access number for customers," said Jason Ethridge, IT Manager, Ideal Software Systems. "We are focused on improving our service to customers and positioning the company for future growth with an expandable, upgradable platform."

In searching for a new communications partner, Ideal Software Systems focused on a cost/benefit analysis. EarthLink's Hosted Voice's Quality of Service (QoS) stood out. In addition, by selecting a Hosted IP PBX solution, Ideal Software eliminated the cost of purchasing a physical PBX system and paying for future upgrades,

Added David Goldman, Founder and President of Ideal Software Systems, "Serving and supporting our customers are our highest priorities at Ideal Software Systems. The EarthLink Complete Hosted Voice system gives us the flexibility and reliability to meet their needs in a 24/7 business environment."

Ideal's new unified Hosted Voice VoIP phone system is also feature-rich. Simultaneous ring and other features route calls to staff mobile phones after hours and allow for more efficient communications with remote developers and home office workers, and the 'soft phone' feature transforms employees' laptops into a virtual extension of their office phones.

"We are in the software business, not the phone management business," shared Ethridge. "Our primary benefit since converting to Hosted Voice is how it has streamlined our customer support processes, and the call quality has been consistently excellent. We've had a seamless experience."

EarthLink's Hosted Voice solution is a 2012 Internet Telephony Product of the Year award winner. This affordable, managed network solution includes features such as voicemail as email, Find Me, Follow Me, and Auto Attendant to increase user productivity, with a simple web-based portal for on-demand system management and instant customization. A scalable solution that easily adapts as businesses evolve, the service offers a range of IP phones, geographic flexibility for remote employees and real-time disaster recovery. Click here to read the Ideal Software case study.

EarthLink Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing Michael D. Toplisek said, "Our Hosted Voice solution is designed to truly empower businesses of all sizes, and I'm pleased that we can work with Ideal Software Systems to strengthen their operation and deliver enterprise-level features without complexity while still minimizing their operating expenses."

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.com.

SOURCE EarthLink, Inc.