Time Warner Cable today launched two new enhanced music products, Time Warner Cable's Road Runner Music, a subscription and download store, and Time Warner Cable's Road Runner Music Portable, a service that gives Time Warner Cable Road Runner customers access to music while on the go.
Through its partnership with Synacor, MusicNet -- the music unit of the leading digital entertainment services provider MediaNet Digital -- is providing the underlying technology platform and content for Time Warner Cable's Road Runner subscription and portable music services. Synacor and MusicNet also enable digital music services for more than a dozen Internet broadband providers nationwide.
"I have spent the better part of my career in the cable business, and to see the advances made in providing consumers with such broad access to music is very satisfying," commented Alan McGlade, president and CEO of MediaNet Digital. "Time Warner Cable's Road Runner music service offers an ideal solution for its customers who are yearning for a single hub for their entertainment offerings. MusicNet's platform allows for integrated PC-based and portable options to offer a seamless digital entertainment experience. Together with Synacor we have created a great product."
Synacor, a provider of Internet tools, portals and content for cable, Internet and telecommunications service providers, is providing the billing and authentication unification, coordination of branding elements, training and marketing support and quality assurance for the services.
"We are pleased to partner with MusicNet to provide this superior digital music product," said Ron Frankel, Synacor president and CEO. "We have the ability to unify a variety of services into a single delivery platform that enables our clients to provide a variety of music, videos and music services to their customers."
MusicNet's advanced media platform, Performer Digital, provides Time Warner Cable with a branded downloadable media player and Web-based client that surfaces MusicNet's content catalog including music downloads, subscriptions and video. The player supports video functions including downloads and streaming with both a standard desktop view and a 10-foot user interface for TV display. For the Road Runner Music Portable offering, the media player will enable ripping, burning and transfers to portable devices.
Synacor and Time Warner Cable first announced a partnership in July 2007. Time Warner Cable's Road Runner Music service includes unlimited access to more than 3 million songs, ad-free radio, and music videos for $9.95/month. Time Warner Cable's Road Runner Music Portable makes the Road Runner Music service portable on up to three devices for an extra $5/month.
"These enhanced music products offer superb functionality and a solid value for our customers," said Steve Cook, group vice president of High Speed Online and Road Runner for Time Warner Cable. "We are pleased to offer our customers music products that are convenient and easy to use both in the home and on the go."
Recently MusicNet unveiled its re-branding and name change to MediaNet Digital, reflecting expanded content offerings such as music videos, television and feature film. MusicNet will continue to be the repository of the company's digital music service initiatives. MusicNet provides the back- end technology and content, including a global catalog of 4.5 million audio tracks and thousands of music videos, to top digital music services.
