News Home Tech Times Technology Forum Cable modem connections to the Internet are much faster than those over phone lines, and they are available in parts of the bay area. Graf doesn't use a phone line to connect anymore. He signed up for Time Warner's Road Runner cable modem access, and he couldn't be happier. Now it includes Internet access, with both companies offering fast cable modem service in certain areas.
Cable modems are a small but fast-growing segment of the online world.
By comparison, America Online has more than 10-million subscribers. Time Warner's service is capable of transmitting up to 10-million bits per second, while GTE has three levels of service up to 128,000 bits per second. Compare that with the most common modem speed now of 28,800 bits per second. GTE's WorldWind service is available in Clearwater, Countryside, Safety Harbor and Palm Harbor. Time Warner's service is available in Palm Harbor and Countryside in Pinellas County, and Carrollwood, Temple Terrace and Brandon in Hillsborough County.