Mediacom to boost HD channel offerings

Ottawa-based cable television provider Mediacom said it plans to add 51 new high-definition channels to the cable television channel lineup in a five-county area of DeKalb, Kane, LaSalle, Livingston, and Ogle counties, effective June 6.

The addition will boost the system’s available HD channels to 105, the company said. The channel boost is the final step in a network upgrade that has eliminated analog bandwidth for most standard cable television channels.

New HD channels include ABC Family and the Hallmark Channel in Mediacom’s HD Family lineup. HD versions for FOX Business, CBS College Sports, ESPN U and other sports channels will be added to the Sports and Information Digital Package.

“The results of our digital upgrade bring dual benefits to consumers,” Mediacom’s Regional Vice President Todd Curtis said. “On the video side, customers gain more ways to enjoy their high-definition televisions. Additionally, this upgrade lets us turn up the accelerator to deliver even faster Internet speeds. Consumers today want the most robust service in both areas, more than 100 HD channels and always faster Internet speeds.”

Mediacom’s Kane County towns receiving the upgrade include Elburn, Gilberts, Hampshire, Kaneville, Maple Park and Sugar Grove.

“By eliminating the outdated technology of analog bandwidth, our network now has the capacity to deliver more than 100 HD channels,” Curtis said. “For viewers who want to see more programming in HD, these new channels are being added across areas of the lineup, for sports, news, movies and all types of programming. Best of all, the HD channels arrive as automatic additions to customers’ existing subscriptions.”