Telewest Expected To Offer High-Speed Net Access

Cable company Telewest Communications is expected to unveil plans for a high-speed internet access service when it releases its interim financial results tomorrow. Although a spokesperson for the company would not reveal any details, it is understood that the service has been produced in a collaboration with Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and Telewest.

According to a report in today’s Financial Times, the internet service will offer access up to 100 times faster that a conventional modem by using a special PC cable modem. The system would be available to Telewest’s 1.4 million subscriber homes, which are currently only offered a standard telephone line link to the internet through the company’s Cable Internet service.

Such a service would rival the ADSL system which was unveiled by BT last week (see BT Creates High-Speed Internet Lines). ADSL, which uses ordinary phone lines, can offer access at speeds up to 40 times faster than a standard modem. It is also expected that the Telewest system will be tied to a branded portal website that will contain content provided by Microsoft. Microsoft acquired a 29.9% stake in Telewest Communications earlier in the year (see Sharewatch).

More details, if announced, will be available on Newsline tomorrow when Telewest releases its financial results.

Telewest Communications: 01483 750 900