UPDATE 1-EarthLink Q1 profit beats Street

* Q1 earnings of 30 cents beat estimates by 3 cents

* Q1 revenue misses estimates

* Raises '09 income from cont ops

April 28 (Reuters) - Internet service provider EarthLink Inc (ELNK.O) posted a better-than-expected quarterly profit as it benefited from a fall in customer churn rate and operating costs.

The company also raised its 2009 forecast for income from continued operations to a range of $90 million to $100 million, up from prior expectations of $75 million to $95 million.

First-quarter net income fell to $32.5 million, or 30 cents a share, from $51.7 million, or 47 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue fell 24 percent to $199.1 million.

Analysts expected earnings of 27 cents a share, excluding exceptional items, on revenue of $202.4 million, according to Reuters Estimates.

EarthLink's customer churn rate fell to 3.9 percent from 4.9 percent a year ago. Total operating costs and expenses declined about 28 percent to $141.6 million.

Shares of the company closed at $7.36 Monday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Shrutika Verma in Bangalore; Editing by Anil D'Silva)