It's perhaps unsurprising that shares of value ISP United Online
Even news that would ordinarily be well-received by investors -- including a stock-split marketing pact with Best Buy
In a Washington Postarticle today, David Vise takes a good look at United Online, its CEO Mark Goldston, and the competitive situation surrounding the service provider. The company faces stiff pressure from EarthLink
What the article can't do is tell us how this whole story will shake out. For United Online, the story remains the same: The fierce battle on the low end for no-frills dial-up subscribers will rage on -- and even intensify as Netscape joins a market AOL already operates in via a Compuserve and Wal-Mart
The fight for growth and market share in the high-speed space, meanwhile, will continue to be the big story in the sector. But if you believe Goldston's contention that AOL can't overmarket another cut-price service because of cannibalization concerns, it may follow that United Online is being unfairly penalized for potential near-term changes to its competitive position.
Will United Online succumb to its competitors? Talk about the company's outlook on our United Online discussion board.
Dave Marino-Nachison can be reached at [email protected].