Just don't ask him what it might be.

The Wireless Philadelphia chief executive called reporters to a North Philadelphia street corner yesterday to declare the nonprofit "alive and kicking" even though EarthLink asked a federal judge on Tuesday to let it dismantle the network it built to provide the Internet service for the program.

Goldman, after reading a statement and urging a group of about 20 young people to pose for pictures holding up laptop computers, tried to slip away without answering questions. Reporters blocked his escape.

Goldman repeatedly said he could not talk about the specifics of failed negotiations to have OneCommunity, a Cleveland-based nonprofit firm, assume control of the wireless network from EarthLink.

"We're still working to identify a partner or partners that will be able to step in behind EarthLink," Goldman said.

Mayor Nutter this week said he has no plans to use city money to save the wireless network.

EarthLink has asked a judge to cap at $1 million its financial liability to the city, which gave the company a 10-year contract to run the system in 2006.

The company next month also wants to remove Internet signal transmitters strapped to city light poles that serve as the network's backbone.

"We assert that EarthLink does not have the ability under this arrangement to unilaterally do anything like that," said Goldman.

If EarthLink is allowed to dismantle the network, Wireless Philadelphia could still pursue "digital inclusion" efforts to help city residents with limited incomes gain Internet service.

EarthLink complained this week that it was losing up to $200,000 a month in Philadelphia for a system that was expected to draw more than 100,000 customers but had only 5,942 subscribers.

EarthLink said 908 were digital-inclusion customers who pay about half the regular monthly $19.95 rate. *