Time Warner Cable, which is working to launch DOCSIS 3.0-based broadband in New York City this fall to fend off FiOS, apparently is in the process of determining what to charge for the service — and what to call it (see Time Warner Cable Queues Up DOCSIS 3.0 In NYC).
According to a DSLReports post, some of the names the MSO floated in a field survey include “Road Runner Flash,” “Road Runner Extreme” and (my favorite) “Road Runner Lightning.” That comes from a user who claimed to have participated in the survey.
So far, Comcast has gone with “Extreme” for its highest tier of service (Extreme 50 is the 50-Mbps downstream, while Ultra is 22 Mbps). Cox’s DOCSIS 3.0 service is “Ultimate Internet,” and Cablevision has dubbed its 101-Mbps down tier “Ultra.” Verizon calls its three FiOS Internet tiers simply “Fast,” “Faster” and “Fastest.”
Meanwhile, recall that TWC had previously announced plans to also roll out DOCSIS 3.0 in four markets where it was initiating usage-based billing trials — Rochester, N.Y., Greensboro, N.C., San Antonio and Austin, Texas.
The MSO suspended those trials after a sharp consumer backlash that caught the attention of U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York (see Britt: Usage-Billing Episode ‘A Bit Of A Debacle’ and Time Warner Cable: Three Mistakes on Usage Pricing).
