Cox Hypes ‘PowerBoost’ Speeds

Cox Communications said it is rolling out technology that allows Web surfers to temporarily increase Internet download speeds for large files such as videos.

Comcast was the first operator to market PowerBoost -- which can reportedly temporarily double Internet speeds for a few seconds -- in June.

Cox said it launched PowerBoost in its northern Virginia system Wednesday, and it will roll the technology out on other systems “on a market-by-market basis.”

The Atlanta-based operator added that PowerBoost -- which uses Cable Television Laboratories’ Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification -- will increase the speed of its Preferred 5-megabit-per-second service by as much as double, to 10 mbps, and its 15-mpbs Premiere service will increase by as much as 33%.

Comcast is using the technology to temporarily double the speeds of subscribers that receive its 6-mbps service to 12 mbps and its 8-mbps service to 16 mbps.