Five of the United States’ largest cablecos, accounting for nearly 40 million broadband subscribers between them, have confirmed that they have joined forces to combine their independent Wi-Fi networks into a single system, with more than 50,000 hotspots now available across the companies’ combined markets. The initiative adds broadband customers of Cox Communications and Bright House Networks to an existing deal between Comcast Corp, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision Systems, which dates back to 2010, but was limited to New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Connecticut. Users of the service will accrue no extra charge beyond their monthly bill.
Although the Wi-Fi networks will remain owned by the independent companies, they will now be jointly branded under the ‘CableWiFi’ banner. The first implementation of the scheme is already believed to be complete, with Bright House Networks and Cablevision introducing the new branding alongside their own-branded Wi-Fi networks in New York City and central Florida earlier this month. Other hotspots are expected to be rebranded in Los Angeles and Philadelphia in the near future.