Fido Cable plans resale-based U.S. DSL, broadband, TV services

South Carolina-based Sky Play, LLC says it has launched a U.S-wide broadband service under the brand name Fido Cable. The services, which also will include TV in certain areas, will be delivered via services leased from other service providers, principally cable MSOs.

Competitive service providers who lease capacity on telcos' copper infrastructure have seen their business models threatened as more of those telcos deploy fiber to the premises (FTTP). Some telcos, such as Verizon, have retired copper infrastructure during the transition to fiber, which they are not required to make available for lease.

Fido Cable appears to circumvent this issue by relying principally on the resale of services from cable MSOs. According to the company's website, Fido (which is not related to the Canadian mobile and internet service provider of the same name) will use services from Comcast, Charter, Cox, Cablevision (recently acquired by Altice), Cable One, and Bright House Networks (recently acquired by Charter). It also will use services from AT&T, according to the site.

The company will offer internet and voice across its footprint and TV in "select cities." The services will be delivered via "cable broadband" using the cable MSO infrastructure as well as DSL, likely using the AT&T connections. The internet and voice plans start at $39.99 a month, "subject to availability." Fido Cable will start with the broadband services, with digital voice, TV, and mobile internet following in the next three months.

"We believe that people deserve to select which internet company they would like to utilize as opposed to being stuck with one or two options of service from companies who constantly raise their rates and offer no thought of the customer they service. We will offer products that make sense without the pricing gauntlet," said David Wheeler, vice president of Sky Play. "Fido Cable is available to everyone in every major city and surrounding cities throughout the US."

Note: This story has been updated to remove statements that Fido Cable is leasing capacity from its suppliers rather than services.

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