[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 65 (Wednesday, May 20, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E924-E925]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     SALUTING THE EARTHLINK NETWORK

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES E. ROGAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 20, 1998

  Mr. ROGAN. Mr. Speaker, the truest test of a company's service is the 
satisfaction of its customers. As a testament to its high level of 
customer commitment, one company in my district has been recognized 
recently for rising to the top in the Internet Service Provider market: 
the Earthlink Network.
  In mid-1994, an enterprising young businessman, Sky Dayton, founded a 
local Internet access provider to take advantage of a void where larger 
national companies had lapsed. Mr. Dayton quickly capitalized on his 
local niche, and fostered the development of Earthlink Network into 
what is today the world's largest independent Internet access firm.
  While achieving success was by no means a smooth journey, word of 
Earthlink's dedication to service quickly spread, winning them 
accolades from newspapers and magazines across the country. Among their 
achievements in the professional realm, none is more significant than 
the news last month that the Earthlink Network had surpassed the 
500,000-customer mark.
  By ensuring that its services were operational over 99 percent of the 
time, and by providing consistent quality customer service, Earthlink 
Network is demonstrating that true entrepreneurial spirit thrives in 
the 27th Congressional District. One man's idea for a new start-up 
business has steadily grown into a trendsetter in the industry. Just 
last year, the Los Angeles Times reported: ``[Earthlink] has combined 
good marketing, good service, good capital-raising ability and good 
attention to strategic detail to grow from nothing to almost 400,000 
subscribers in just three years.''
  Mr. Speaker, I echo these same sentiments. In just a few years the 
Internet has grown from the brainchild of a few computer experts to the 
modus operandi of school children,

[[Page E925]]

businesses, and industries around the world. Earthlink Network has 
developed a loyal following by harnessing the power of the Internet, 
and presenting it to consumers in an understandable and user-friendly 
format. For their dedication to quality and their innovations in the 
access provider industry, I ask my colleagues here today to join me in 
saluting the excellence of Earthlink Network, and in congratulating 
them on their 500,000th customer.

                          ____________________