Leffingwell chastises Time Warner for Internet pricing plan

Austin Business Journal, April 2, 2009

Austin City Council member and mayoral hopeful Lee Leffingwell issued a statement Thursday admonishing Time Warner Cable for its plan to introduce a new tiered pricing system for Internet customers that he says could stifle the economic recovery of Austin.

Time Warner, the region’s dominant cable provider and one of the largest Internet providers, says it will change its Internet pricing structure later this year and begin charging customers for the bandwidth they use. Customers would sign up for a particular plan based on their expected usage and would be charged money if they go over their allotment.

“This approach, and Time Warner’s specific plan, should be of grave concern to Austin,” Leffingwell said in his statement. “Right now we need to be encouraging, rather than stifling, economic recovery and growth in Austin. This plan moves us in the wrong direction.”

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