Pop-ups-be-gone with EarthLink release

NEWS Pop-up ads - the bane of many of a surfer's life - could be a thing of the past for customers of ISP EarthLink with the latest release of its access software which promises to block the intrusive ads. EarthLink will launch the software today amid a flurry of hype - though initially users will only be able to see a preview version via the EarthLink site - http://www.earthlink.com . However, the software will be incorporated into the ISP's TotalAccess 2003 release. The launch is backed by a $10m advertising campaign, according to a report on Reuters, which will include television commercials, print ads and online advertising. Whether this campaign will include pop-up ads is unclear. EarthLink has 4.9 million subscribers in the US.