Broadband

This week five major U.S. Internet service providers -- Comcast, Time Warner Cable, AT&T, Verizon Communications and Cablevision Systems -- will begin alerting broadband subscribers who are suspected of illegally sharing or downloading copyrighted content, under the media industry-led “six strikes” program.

Dish Network added fewer than expected net new customers in the fourth quarter, but the satellite TV giant was closer to analysts’ estimates for financial metrics and disclosed for the first time its broadband customer numbers.

Large U.S. Internet service providers mostly continue to deliver on their promised broadband speeds -- delivering an average 97% of advertised download speeds during peak periods -- according to the Federal Communication Commission’s third “Measuring Broadband America” report, released Friday.

And as before, cable outshined DSL: Cable services on average delivered 99% of advertised download speed during peak periods, the same as on the FCC’s July 2012 broadband report, compared with DSL at 85% (up from 84% in the previous report).

Massillon Cable TV said Monday that it will rebrand itself, along with its Clear Picture TV subsidiary, under the brand MCTV, to better reflect its wide variety of voice, video and data offerings.

Massillon serves about 46,000 residential subscribers in Stark, Wayne, Summit and Holmes counties, and employs 150 at its two operations. The company traces its roots back to 1965 with the founding of Massillon Cable TV, Inc. by Richard and Susan Gessner. Its Clear Picture TV subsidiary, which Massillon purchased in 1979, serves the Wooster, Ohio area.  

British cable giant Virgin Media confirmed that it is in discussions with John Malone’s Liberty Global concerning a possible takeover, which could further solidify Liberty’s dominance in the European cable landscape.

“Virgin Media confirms that it is in discussions with Liberty Global, Inc., a leading international cable company, concerning a possible transaction,” Virgin Media said in a terse statement Tuesday. “Any such transaction would be subject to regulatory and other conditions. A further announcement will be made in due course.”