Charter Communications (Nasdaq: CHTR) executives have long been calling out the advantages the cable operator's broadband network has when competing with DSL--a service that resonates in Charter's heartland-centric franchise areas. Now the MSO is prepared nail down the DSL coffin--it hopes--by boosting its most popular broadband tier, Internet Express, from 8 to 12 Mbps and its Internet Plus tier from 16 to 18 Mbps. Business customers will get speed bumps from 40 to 50 Mbps or 75 to 100 Mbps depending on their packages.
The speed changes don't go both ways, which could provoke some grumbling from interactive users. Upload speeds remain up to 1 Mbps for the Express and 2 Mbps for Plus; both higher than anything DSL delivers.
"The Internet is a destination we go to for work, play, to interact and be entertained. These experiences require faster Internet access and by providing ultra-fast speeds in our markets, Charter enables our customers to experience true high-speed Internet," Carl Leuschner, vice president-Internet and phone product management said in a Charter news release.
Charter is leveraging its DOCSIS 3.0 deployment, now reaching about half the subscriber base, to deliver the new speeds.
For more:
- see this news release
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