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A month ago the nation's largest cable-modem Internet portal said it was getting into the DSL business.

It's not because Excite@Home Corp. believes DSL is a better technology. The decision came amid fears that a host of cable companies -- which carry Excite@Home's Internet package -- may not renew contracts that will expire in the coming years.

So it should come as no surprise that Palo Alto, Calif.-based Excite@Home is also going wireless. The May 1 announcement is yet another move to expand its reach while distancing itself from cable operators such as AT&T Corp., Comcast Corp. and Cox Communications Inc.

"The wireless medium is an extension of Excite@Home's broadband strategy to bring personalized content to its users anytime, anywhere and on any device," said Rob Wilen, group manager for the company's wireless services.

The move to wireless comes as analysts expect the number of mobile phone users to reach 1 billion in 2003, with about half those phones capable of accessing the Internet, according to market research firm The Yankee Group. This year alone, nearly one-third of mobile phones shipped in the U.S. are expected to have a browser, and eight of 10 phones will have browsers in two years, according to Yankee and Strategy Analytics.

The new service, called Excite Mobile, delivers personalized Internet access and content for mobile users to any Web-enabled cell phone in the U.S. Services include news, maps and directions, weather, e-mail, address books and other information.

Last month, Excite@Home Corp. made its first move outside the cable sphere by cutting a distribution deal with Rhythms NetConnections Inc. The Englewood, Colo., firm, which is expanding, offers DSL service in 46 metro areas representing 15 million homes in markets including Boston, Denver, San Diego and Seattle.

# posted by Medical Information : 4:06 AM