Another Wireless Provider...But With Foresight

From Mobile Pipeline EarthLink, Korean operator creating new US wireless company.

EarthLink said Wednesday that it is partnering with Korean wireless operator SK Telecom to create a new wireless operator in the U.S. that will focus on providing advanced Internet services such as streaming multimedia.

The two companies will equally co-own the new venture, which will be called SK-EarthLink. The new company will be a virtual wireless provider, acquiring services from other mobile operators, although the companies did not say in a statement from which operator they would acquire the services from or when the service would fully launch.

Primarily, the stressed in statements and in the conference call that the goal of the joint venture is to offer services not currently available in the U.S.

"In South Korea, kids on the street are using their mobile phones to listen to music, watch TV, video conference, locate their friends and access the Internet -- as well as make voice calls -- as opposed to the U.S. where the mobile experience is primarily about talking on the phone," Dayton said in a statement. "Americans are living in the past. Utilizing emerging 3G networks and harnessing the explosive growth of Wi-Fi, SK-EarthLink will take the wireless experience in the U.S. to a new level."