Logo

Mediacom, Sprint Form Partnership

Aug 25, 2004  •  Post A Comment

Cable operator Mediacom Communications said Wednesday it has reached an agreement with telecommunications giant Sprint to jointly launch a cable-based telephone product to all 2.7 million homes in Mediacom’s 23-state footprint.

The partnership will enable Middletown, N.Y.-based Mediacom to participate in the triple-play bundling initiative that has been at the center of the growth of several other cable operators, and should help the company counteract a fairly steady slide in subscribers amid stiffening competition from satellite operators.

Mediacom is among the last remaining cable operators not to be offering telephone service to its customers. The company already sells high-speed data service in addition to its core video business.

As part of the partnership, Sprint will bring phone calls made by Mediacom customers onto the public switched telephone network from Mediacom’s cable network where they started and will provide enhanced 911 emergency service, local number portability and operator and directory services.

Mediacom expects to launch the service in selected markets sometime in the first half of 2005.

Sprint’s alliance with Mediacom represents the latest in a string of partnerships being formed between cable operators and telecommunications companies. Earlier this month AT&T announced plans to team up with Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, Charter Communications and Mediacom to offer Web-based phone service to cable customers.