EarthLink Gains Access to More Verizon Areas

EarthLink Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. said they reached a marketing agreement that would let EarthLink expand its high-speed Internet service to customers in Verizon’s territories.

EarthLink said it expected to expand coverage in New York, Boston and Washington, and begin service in new markets including Buffalo and Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Scranton, Pa.

EarthLink will be able to use Verizon’s broadband infrastructure to try to sell its service to 6.5 million more households, the companies said in a statement. EarthLink had 5.2 million subscribers as of year-end, company reports show.

Shares of Atlanta-based EarthLink, the third-largest U.S. Internet-access service, rose 13 cents to $10.03 on Nasdaq. Shares of New York-based Verizon rose 65 cents to $37.60 on the NYSE.