EarthLink was founded in the Spring of 1994 by 23-year-old Sky Dayton, an entrepreneur with a technology and culture background. He co-founded Cafe Mocha, a popular Melrose Avenue coffeehouse, and Dayton Walker Design, a high-tech computer-based advertising design company in Studio City, California.
After immersing himself in the Internet in 1993, Dayton immediately recognized its potential, but was frustrated with how difficult it was to get on line. He sold his interests in the coffeehouse and the design company to found EarthLink Network.
With two employees and the idea that Internet access could be made easy for anyone, EarthLink sold its first Internet access account on July 1st, 1994. The company has grown exponentially ever since.
TotalAccess
In the spring of 1995, EarthLink Network released TotalAccess, a package of cutting-edge Internet software applications including Netscape, the most popular World Wide Web browser in existence, and Eudora Email, the most widely-used email program on the Internet.
TotalAccess dials a new subscriber into EarthLink's registration server, automatically sets up an Internet access account, and configures the user's computer to navigate the Internet. Subscribers are online in as little as five minutes.
TotalAccess recently received an "A" rating from "the Net" magazine for its low cost ("EarthLink is practically free in the scheme of online service providers"), flexibility, ease of use, and technical support.
Nationwide Access
Allying with UUNET Technologies, EarthLink now offers total Internet access in over 230 cities across the country. EarthLink also offers the least expensive 800 Internet access available anywhere.
Macmillan Publishing and its parent companies, including Viacom, the largest publishing conglomerate in the world, will be distributing EarthLink's TotalAccess disks in its Internet books and other products. EarthLink has made similar agreements to put its TotalAccess software into hundreds of different retail and distribution channels.
As of April, 1996, EarthLink Network, Inc. employs over 300 full-time staff. EarthLink continues to grow by providing high-quality, easy, and well-supported Internet access to individuals and businesses.
