Time Warner Cable Eyeing Wireless over Sprint Network

Sprint Corp. is in talks with Time Warner Cable to help the subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. offer wireless service, marking a push by U.S. cable companies to venture further into the voice market.

Sprint continues to be in talks with its cable company partners to discuss “how wireless fits in strategically, what wireless might look like as part of a bundle” of services, says Sprint spokesman Jeff Shafer.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that a Time Warner Cable trial with Sprint would be limited to Kansas City, Mo., in the first quarter of 2005. Shafer declined to comment on the report but confirmed Sprint is in discussions with Time Warner Cable, the second largest cable company.

Sprint has been striking partnerships with companies ranging from AT&T Corp. to ESPN Inc. to help them offer branded wireless services over its national network.

Delivering wireless service would complement Time Warner Cable’s foray into the wireline phone market, allowing Time Warner Cable to offer the so-called quadruple play of services: video, Internet access, wireline phone service and wireless.

Time Warner Cable has launched Internet phone service in 30 of 31 divisions commercially or on a test basis and expects to end the year with 200,000 customers. Last year the Stamford, Conn., company announced a partnership with Sprint and MCI Inc. to help it launch phone service across the country.

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