Time Warner Cable is joining the race to bring faster Internet speeds to customers. With Google Fiber expanding and Comcast announcing Gigabit Pro, it’s no surprise Time Warner has announced they are going to up their speeds as well. The company is calling their new Internet experience “TWC Maxx.”
Like these two other companies, Time Warner will not be bringing faster speeds to all of their customers right away. But for those in Charlotte, North Carolina, their service is about to get a nice boost. Time Warner has announced customers can expect up to six-times faster speeds with no additional cost.
To put these claims into perspective, Time Warner has given some examples. Customers on the Standard plan currently receive 15 Mbps download connection speeds, but with the new boost, they can expect 50 Mbps.
Likewise, those with the Extreme plan will see an increase from 30 Mbps to 200 Mbps. The Ultimate plan will go from 50 Mbps to 300 Mbps. In it’s official announcement, Darrel Hegar, regional vice president of operations for Time Warner Cable explains:
“With ‘TWC Maxx,’ we’re essentially reinventing the TWC experience … We will boost Internet speeds for customers up to six times faster, add to our robust TWC WiFi, dramatically improve the TV product and set a high bar in our industry for differentiated, exceptional customer service.”
The company plans to achieve these new speeds by creating a 100 percent digital network. According to Time Warner, each analog channel takes the space of up to 12 digital networks.
By changing their network to all digital, they will be able to free up the necessary bandwidth to deliver faster Internet speeds.
These speeds may not be as impressive as the 1 Gbps promised by Google and 2 Gbps promised by Comcast. However, a boost of up to six times current speeds with no additional charge has definite appeal. That’s especially true for those who don’t feel they need gigabit-per-second speeds or would rather not pay more.
Currently, Time Warner is only offering these improved speeds for their residential Internet plans in Charlotte. But hopefully it’s a step in the direction of faster Internet across the board for all customers. The company plans to start offering TWC Maxx this summer.
Time Warner Cable Photo via Shutterstock
Aira Bongco
Oooh the Internet is getting faster. But I heard they are lowering access or implementing caps on lower plans to make the higher plans look more special.
Tabby McFarland
That is possible, though I haven’t read anything on that. It’s just exciting to think about the future of Internet getting faster for everyone.
rex smith
They will only upgrade markets where the competition is about to blow them out of water. Elsewhere they are still the same old penny pinching ripoff they have always been.
Gary Blouin
“These speeds may not be as impressive as the 1 Gbps promised by Google and 2 Gbps promised by Comcast. However, a boost of up to six times current speeds with no additional charge has definite appeal. That’s especially true for those who don’t feel they need gigabit-per-second speeds or would rather not pay more.”
While no additional charge does have definite appeal. However, I think the statement “or would rather not pay more” is a bit misleading. I currently have TWC 50 meg plan that should be upgraded to 300 megs in the near future. I currently pay $94.99 – w/taxes, a month for Internet service. Going from 50 megs to 300 megs is great without a price increase. However, Google is offering 1 gigs up/down and it will be $70 a month plus taxes.
So if I stay with TWC, I would get about 1/3 of the speed and pay about 1/3 more.
BTW – besides “summer”, any update of when TWC will be complete with the upgrade?
Duke Sweden
Already got my modem upgrade installed. They said around August 12th for the Monroe/Union County area (South of Charlotte).
Rick
When is it going to hit Cincinnati and Dayton Ohio ?