Many companies re-sell cellular capacity. It's a simple branding exercise.

Earthlink is the first to enter this business with a vision. The vision comes from founder Sky Dayton, who kept the chairman title for years after leaving for Boingo, but has now relinquished it to run this new joint venture, SK-Earthlink. (Glenn Fleishman interviewed Dayton and has a great story on him.)

Dayton's vision, since the beginning, has been based on the idea that spectrum is plentiful, that WiFi can be connected, and that a telecom firm doesn't consist of wires and switches but software and marketing.

Earthlink itself is based on the idea of re-sale. Its dial-up service rides on top of the existing phone network. Its DSL offerings are based on the same networks. It's not a stretch.

So, what's the vision? Jump over there with me and I'll tell you.

The vision is based on simple components:

• Re-sell access to hotspots through Boingo, which signed a re-sale agreement with the new venture.
  
• Re-sell U.S. cellular capacity from two companies -- Verizon and Sprint -- not just one. This provides flexibility, independence, and robustness.
  
• Push broadband applications. This will happen first in Korea, where SK has a large (albeit controversial) spectrum portfolio.
  
• Re-sell equipment, not just services. (This is another reason why the tie with SK is key.)
  

The key to Dayton's plan is wireless data. All the carriers are concentrating on voice, which is a low bit-rate business, because voice today pays the bills. But future growth will come from data, just as has happened in the wireline business. By providing an integrated system supporting high bitrate wireless data, Dayton plans to sign big corporate customers who might find themselves unmoored as Sprint absorbs Nextel.

And the key to it all will be applications. All Dayton needs is a "killer app" for high bitrate wireless as compelling as Nextel's walkie-talkie.