Cable Atlantic
Encyclopedia
Cable Atlantic Inc. was a cable television
provider serving much of the population of the Canadian
province of Newfoundland and Labrador
. The company's primary owner throughout its history was Danny Williams
, although ownership was shared with other investors from time to time.
As Avalon Cablevision Ltd., the company secured the cable TV franchise for the St. John's
/Mount Pearl
area (on the Avalon Peninsula
, hence the name). It became Cable Atlantic on March 20, 1990 after acquiring cablesystems in the three next largest Newfoundland and Labrador
communities: Corner Brook (previously Shellbird Cable), Gander
(previously Omni Cablevision Ltd), and Grand Falls-Windsor
(previously Central Cable Systems Ltd). However, most rural areas of the province were served by N1 Cable (later Regional Cable, Persona
, and most recently EastLink
).
Cable Atlantic also operated a provincial dial-up Internet
provider, "The Zone", and a competitive local exchange carrier
that provided telephone
services to businesses and the provincial government. It also offered Road Runner cable Internet service under licence from Time Warner Cable
, whereas most Canadian cable companies were at the time using the rival @Home Network
backed by TCI
and Comcast
.
The company was sold to Rogers Cable
in November 2000. Cable Atlantic's telecom division and the company's longtime 541 Kenmount Road
headquarters had been sold separately to Group Telecom in April of that year, although those assets were ultimately also acquired by Rogers in 2005, after changing hands four additional times. Other departments were moved to other parts of the city at the time of the sale. Rogers Cable's head office in St. John's was moved to 22 Austin Street and Rogers Television (Cable 9) offices were moved to Water Street, with a temporary studio in Pleasentville. It has since moved to the Woodgate Plaza on Kenmount Road.
At the time of the sale, it was rumoured that Williams would run for the leadership of the provincial Progressive Conservative Party
, and the sale of his business assets added fuel to those rumours. Williams was successful in becoming PC leader the following year, and became premier in 2003.
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
provider serving much of the population of the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
. The company's primary owner throughout its history was Danny Williams
Danny Williams (politician)
Daniel E. "Danny" Williams, QC, MHA is a Canadian politician, businessman and lawyer who served as the ninth Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador between November 6, 2003, and December 3, 2010. Williams was born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador...
, although ownership was shared with other investors from time to time.
As Avalon Cablevision Ltd., the company secured the cable TV franchise for the St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
/Mount Pearl
Mount Pearl
Mount Pearl is the second largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The city is located southwest of St. John's, on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. Mount Pearl is part of the St...
area (on the Avalon Peninsula
Avalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland.The peninsula is home to 257,223 people, which is approximately 51% of Newfoundland's population in 2009, and is the location of the provincial capital, St. John's. It is connected to the...
, hence the name). It became Cable Atlantic on March 20, 1990 after acquiring cablesystems in the three next largest Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
communities: Corner Brook (previously Shellbird Cable), Gander
Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador
Gander is a Canadian town located in the northeastern part of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, approximately south of Gander Bay, south of Twillingate and east of Grand Falls-Windsor...
(previously Omni Cablevision Ltd), and Grand Falls-Windsor
Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and Labrador
Grand Falls-Windsor is a town of 13,558 people located in the central region of the island of Newfoundland in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The town is the largest in the central region, the fifth largest in the province, and is home to the annual Exploits Valley Salmon Festival...
(previously Central Cable Systems Ltd). However, most rural areas of the province were served by N1 Cable (later Regional Cable, Persona
Persona Inc.
Persona Communications, formerly Regional Cablesystems, was a cable television, Internet and telecommunications provider in Canada.Persona was purchased by EastLink in 2007. At that point it ceased to be an independent company, and was used only as a brand by some of EastLink's operations in...
, and most recently EastLink
EastLink (company)
EastLink is a Canadian cable television and telecommunications company. In 1970, EastLink was established in Amherst, Nova Scotia, when it was issued one of the first cable licences granted by the CRTC...
).
Cable Atlantic also operated a provincial dial-up Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
provider, "The Zone", and a competitive local exchange carrier
Competitive local exchange carrier
A competitive local exchange carrier , in the United States, is a telecommunications provider company competing with other, already established carriers ....
that provided telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
services to businesses and the provincial government. It also offered Road Runner cable Internet service under licence from Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
, whereas most Canadian cable companies were at the time using the rival @Home Network
@Home Network
@Home Network was a high-speed cable Internet service provider from 1996 to 2002. It was founded by Milo Medin, cable companies TCI, Comcast, and Cox Communications, and William Randolph Hearst III, who was their first CEO, as a joint venture to produce high-speed cable Internet service through...
backed by TCI
Tele-Communications Inc.
Tele-Communications, Inc. or TCI was a cable television provider in the United States, for much of its history controlled by Bob Magness and John Malone....
and Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
.
The company was sold to Rogers Cable
Rogers Cable
Rogers Cable Inc., a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc., is Canada's largest cable television service provider with about 2.25 million television customers, and over 930,000 Internet subscribers, in Manitoba, Southern & Eastern Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.The...
in November 2000. Cable Atlantic's telecom division and the company's longtime 541 Kenmount Road
Kenmount Road
Kenmount Road is a major road in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. It begins at the intersection of Freshwater Road and Thorburn Road, just east of the Columbus Drive overpass...
headquarters had been sold separately to Group Telecom in April of that year, although those assets were ultimately also acquired by Rogers in 2005, after changing hands four additional times. Other departments were moved to other parts of the city at the time of the sale. Rogers Cable's head office in St. John's was moved to 22 Austin Street and Rogers Television (Cable 9) offices were moved to Water Street, with a temporary studio in Pleasentville. It has since moved to the Woodgate Plaza on Kenmount Road.
At the time of the sale, it was rumoured that Williams would run for the leadership of the provincial Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
For pre-1949 Conservative parties see Conservative parties in Newfoundland The Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a centre-right provincial political party in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Originally founded in 1949 the party has formed the Government of...
, and the sale of his business assets added fuel to those rumours. Williams was successful in becoming PC leader the following year, and became premier in 2003.