Hawaiian Telcom Enters Cable TV Business

Time Warner Cable Oceanic hasn’t had much pay-TV competition in Hawaii, but that’s about to change. In late June, the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs granted Hawaiian Telcom a non-exclusive cable franchise for cable TV on Oahu.

The all-digital video service is delivered via Hawaiian Telcom’s DSL network, which runs fiber to a street cabinet and then uses existing copper wiring to reach individual homes.

In late 2010, some 250 Oahu residents began testing the service, and the company said it was beginning its staged launch of the service July 1.
 
Hawaiian Telcom says its programming content and pricing are competitive with what currently is provided by cable and direct broadcast satellite operators. The service includes more than 250 channels of local and premium content as well as public education and government channels. It also includes whole-home DVR to record as many as four programs at the same time, VOD and the NFL Network in HD. Customers also can bundle TV with such other Hawaiian Telcom services as high-speed Internet, and wireline and wireless telephony.

“We are rolling out Hawaiian Telcom TV gradually to selected areas,” said Brad Fisher, senior vice president/Strategy and Marketing, in a statement. “We will expand the availability and capabilities of Hawaiian Telcom TV service over time and look forward to sharing more as our rollout progresses.”

Oahu residents who live within areas identified for initial delivery of the new TV service will be contacted by Hawaiian Telcom and invited to sign up.

Hawaiian Telcom is the state’s largest phone company, with roots dating back to 1883. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008 and was reorganized.

-Linda Hardesty