PeoplePC
PeoplePC is a legacy Atlanta-based dial-up internet provider founded in 1999, now operating as a brand within EarthLink, LLC, delivering fiber, 5G, and satellite internet services to residential, business, and rural customers across the continental United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What PeoplePC does
PeoplePC is a former dial-up internet service provider founded in 1999 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, that originally delivered connectivity services to corporations, membership organizations, internet portals, and online content providers. The company historically operated under NASDAQ ticker PEOP and completed a $65,000,000 funding round in November 1999 led by SoftBank Group, with participation from Hambrecht & Quist Capital Management, Maveron, Nexus Group, and SoftBank. The entity has since been delisted from public markets and absorbed into EarthLink, LLC, where it operates as a legacy brand within a private ISP holding structure employing 51-100 people.
At the operating level, the underlying EarthLink business delivers residential and business internet via 100% fiber-to-the-premises infrastructure, complemented by 5G Home Internet and Satellite Internet offerings. Products are tiered from 500 Mbps symmetrical fiber to 5 Gig speeds, with unlimited data, no throttling, no contracts, and a price-lock guarantee. The technology stack emphasizes end-to-end fiber (no coaxial handoff), the largest combined fiber and 5G network in the continental United States, and what the company describes as the largest rural internet footprint in the country. Security and privacy add-ons, streaming bundles, and business-grade packages with enhanced cybersecurity round out the product surface.
The go-to-market model is a direct-to-consumer motion executed through phone sales (866-618-0264), website self-service with address-based availability checks, content marketing via the EarthLink blog, and a referral network spanning AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Frontier, CenturyLink, and DirecTV for geographies outside the company's own coverage. Revenue is generated primarily through monthly recurring subscription fees, with promotional pricing ($24.95/mo for the first three months on the 500 Mbps fiber tier) used as an acquisition lever. The customer base spans residential consumers, small and medium businesses, rural users, work-from-home professionals, and gamers, a meaningful broadening from the original PeoplePC corporate/wholesale dial-up customer profile.
PeoplePC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PeoplePC
- Legal name
- EarthLink, LLC
- Website
- https://peoplepc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- PeoplePC is a legacy Atlanta-based dial-up internet provider founded in 1999, now operating as a brand within EarthLink, LLC, delivering fiber, 5G, and satellite internet services to residential, business, and rural customers across the continental United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PeoplePC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Dial-up Internet Services
- NAICS
- All Other Telecommunications (517810), Telecommunications (517), Satellite Telecommunications (5174)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential/Broadband ISPs (Consumer Internet) (HDAIADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Municipal & Community Broadband ISPs (HDAIADAH), Cable Internet ISPs (HFC Retail Providers) (HDAIADAF)
Keywords
Where PeoplePC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
PeoplePC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Residential Internet Service: Monthly subscription internet service for residential customers with various speed tiers from 500 Mbps to 5 Gig. Recurring monthly revenue model with no long-term contracts required.
- Business Internet Packages: Business-grade internet plans with enhanced cybersecurity measures, designed for business operations and remote work.
- Security & Privacy Services: Additional security solutions to protect customer data and provide peace of mind for home and business users.
- Streaming Services: Premium streaming services bundled with internet packages for comprehensive home entertainment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | EarthLink Fiber 500 Mbps - Fast speeds for high-tech households |
| Subscription | Monthly | EarthLink Fiber 1 Gig - Top-tiered symmetrical speeds |
| Subscription | Monthly | EarthLink Fiber 5 Gigs - Fastest speed for demanding users |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | 5G Home Internet - High-speed wireless option |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
PeoplePC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PeoplePC provides dial-up internet connectivity services to corporations, membership organizations, portals, and online content providers. The company delivers branded or co-branded internet access so partner organizations can offer connectivity to their members or end users without building their own ISP infrastructure.
Product overview
EarthLink offers a multi-product internet service portfolio centered around fiber, wireless 5G, and satellite connectivity. The core offerings include EarthLink Fiber Internet (with tiered plans from 500 Mbps to 5 Gigs), 5G Home Internet, Satellite Internet, and Rural Internet services. Additional offerings include Business Internet packages and Security & Privacy solutions. The product lineup enables EarthLink to serve residential, rural, and business customers across various connectivity needs and geographic coverage areas.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PeoplePC Dial-up Internet Connectivity
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 20x faster upload speeds than cable internet (500 Mbps tier)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use PeoplePC
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
PeoplePC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
PeoplePC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- AT&TminorEarthLink refers customers to AT&T when EarthLink service is not available in the customer's area, serving as a fallback option for broadband connectivity.
- VerizonminorEarthLink refers customers to Verizon when their service area is not covered by EarthLink, providing alternative connectivity options.
- T-MobileminorEarthLink refers customers to T-Mobile for wireless internet options in areas where EarthLink fiber is not available.
- Frontier CommunicationsminorEarthLink partners with Frontier as an alternative ISP referral for customers outside EarthLink coverage areas.
- CenturyLinkminorEarthLink refers customers to CenturyLink when EarthLink service is not available in the customer's service area.
- DirecTVminorEarthLink refers customers to DirecTV for satellite TV and internet services in areas where EarthLink coverage is limited.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
PeoplePC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EarthLink: The operating entity described in the source data itself offers fiber, 5G, and satellite internet to residential and business customers across the continental US with the same price-lock and unlimited-data positioning. Most comparable peer because the data dump describes EarthLink as the de facto operating business behind the PeoplePC name.
- HughesNet: US satellite internet provider targeting rural and underserved households. Directly overlaps with EarthLink's Satellite Internet and Rural Internet product lines and competes for the same hard-to-reach customer base.
- CenturyLink / Lumen Technologies: National fiber and DSL ISP serving residential and business customers across the US. Comparable product mix (fiber, DSL, voice, business services) and a referral partner to EarthLink for out-of-area customers.
- Verizon Fios: Wireline fiber-to-the-home ISP providing symmetric gigabit speeds across the Northeast US. Direct fiber competitor with the same technical profile EarthLink markets, and an existing referral partner.
- T-Mobile Home Internet: 5G fixed-wireless access home internet service bundling onto T-Mobile's nationwide cellular network. Directly competes with EarthLink's 5G home internet offering and is also a referral partner for out-of-footprint leads.
- Xfinity (Comcast): Largest US cable ISP providing broadband, video, and voice services to residential customers. EarthLink explicitly calls out Xfinity/Comcast as a primary competitor positioned against its symmetric fiber offering.
- Spectrum (Charter Communications): Major US cable broadband provider offering residential and SMB internet across a multi-state footprint. Listed as a primary competitor EarthLink explicitly differentiates against on coverage and pricing.
- AT&T Internet: Major US ISP offering fiber-to-the-home, fixed wireless, and DSL internet to residential and business customers nationwide. Directly competes with EarthLink/PeoplePC for residential broadband subscribers and is also a referral partner, indicating a parallel market overlap.
- Frontier Communications: US fiber and DSL broadband ISP with a heavy rural/suburban footprint after its Verizon-wireline and AT&T-wireline acquisitions. Comparable fiber expansion story and also a referral partner to EarthLink.
Emerging players
- Starlink (SpaceX): Low-earth-orbit satellite broadband service rapidly expanding rural coverage with consumer-grade hardware and pricing. Emerging competitive threat to EarthLink's satellite/rural value proposition, especially on speed and latency.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PeoplePC social profiles
Digital presencePeoplePC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PeoplePC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
PeoplePC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PeoplePC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PeoplePC
What does PeoplePC do?
PeoplePC provides dial-up internet connectivity services to corporations, membership organizations, portals, and online content providers. The company delivers branded or co-branded internet access so partner organizations can offer connectivity to their members or end users without building their own ISP infrastructure.
Is PeoplePC a public or private company?
PeoplePC is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was PeoplePC founded?
PeoplePC was founded in 1994. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is PeoplePC based?
PeoplePC is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does PeoplePC make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Residential Internet Service is the primary driver. The others are business Internet Packages, security & Privacy Services and streaming Services.
Who are PeoplePC's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EarthLink, HughesNet, CenturyLink / Lumen Technologies, Verizon Fios, T-Mobile Home Internet, Xfinity (Comcast), Spectrum (Charter Communications), AT&T Internet and Frontier Communications. Starlink (SpaceX) is listed as an emerging player.
Does PeoplePC have an API?
No public API is recorded for PeoplePC.
What industry is PeoplePC in?
PeoplePC's product category is Dial-up Internet Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIADAA, Residential/Broadband ISPs (Consumer Internet), with a secondary code of HDAIADAH, Municipal & Community Broadband ISPs. Its NAICS code is 517810 and its SIC code is 7370.