Time Warner Cable, while not as flashy as Comcast or not as spectacular as Cablevision is having a whopper of a time with its VoIP service, according to Sam Howe, the operator’s SVP of marketing for voice services. He was making these remarks at a CableLabs media briefing. TWC is adding 15,000 subs-per-week, which is about 50% faster than VoIP additions in April, when I last checked on them. Further proof that CableCos are well positioned to capitalize on VoIP.
At the end of 2004, TWC has about 220,000 VoIP customers, and was adding about 40,000 a month through April. That makes it about 380,000 at the end of April 2004. If you assume 40,000 for May and 60,000 for June, that’s another 480,000. I wonder at whose expense is the acceleration happening? Baby Bells or upstarts like Vonage? Time Warner Cable,now has VoIP available in most of its footprint, and will be close to 90 percent to 95 percent VoIP-enabled by year-end.
It’s funny to me that Wall Street forced AT&T to abandon the idea of the triple play (actually quad if you count mobility as another play) almost 5 years ago when now it is quite obvious to everyone that they had exactly the right idea. In the end though, who do you blame: ignorant analysts with too much power or gutless management who bow under their pressure.