Vancouver, Washington - (The Hosting News) - March 8, 2007 - Wholly owned subsidiary of EarthLink Inc., New Edge Networks, has enhanced its partner program, including access to resources, direct voice, training, and incentives for selling high-speed broadband networks to businesses.

The announcement was made at the Channel Partners Conference and Expo in Las Vegas.
In conjunction with the channel program overhaul, New Edge Networks also created an agent council with three members from each of the company’s three operating regions in the eastern, central, and western United States. This provides agents direct representation to executive management, input on program development, and first look at products. The council will meet monthly.

New Edge Networks also is launching a series of cross-country seminars for educating selling partners how to package and offer businesses complete IP solutions. A seminar schedule is available at www.newedgenetworks.com/register.

At the Channel Partners Conference and Expo, New Edge Networks participated on an educational session about managed services entitled: MPLS VPN: Find out what it means to you (and Your Customers).

Bruce Barnes, newly appointed director of channel program for New Edge Networks explained, “In an environment where many communications providers have a questionable commitment to their channel partners and industry consolidation will produce questionable product and service results, New Edge Networks has made a significantly greater commitment to channel sales. Thanks to support from EarthLink (which acquired New Edge Networks last April), New Edge Networks has reinvested in its partner program adding resources from product management, marketing, IT, sales, and sales support to initiate new programs, training, and events. We will be looking for every possible way that we can better reward our partners for the business they do with us.”

New Edge Networks recently opened full access for its channel partners to the company’s order management and troubleshooting system. Through a secure online portal, selling partners have the same access to their customers’ records as New Edge Networks’ customer care representatives. This helps partners manage their clients and improve overall customer experience. CrosStar Network Solutions, a master agent based in New York City, recently signed on as an agent for New Edge Networks after working with most major telecommunications carriers.

Eric Savitsky, Managing Partner of CrosStar Network Solutions added, “The key to our success is to affiliate ourselves with nimble and quick providers that clearly understand the sense of urgency that our customers have and also make it easy for us to work with them. The tools and access that New Edge Networks provides its channel partners empower us to manage our relationship with our clients and quickly help us cut through the typical smoke and mirrors. If we are successful, they will be successful.”

To give its revamped channel program a boost, New Edge Networks beefed up sales incentives for partners in the first quarter of 2007. For example, one incentive gives partners an additional $500 bounty for each full T-1 sale they make on behalf of New Edge Networks. This is in addition to the regular commission payment for the sale.

New Edge Networks has more than 350 active channel partners. These include agents, value added resellers, systems integrators, resellers, and referral partners. New Edge Networks, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a wholly owned subsidiary of EarthLink Inc. (NASDQ: ELNK). New Edge Networks builds and manages private networks for businesses and communications providers. Through its nationwide backbone network with about 900 switches and Internet routers, New Edge Networks uses any blend of access technologies (xDSL, frame relay, ATM, cable, wireless, and satellite) for providing broadband connectivity at any business address in the United States. Network options include any combination of access, network management functions, and on-site installation services.

For more information, please visit: www.newedgenetworks.com.