Charter Rolls Out Spectrum Mobile As Cable Providers Bet On Wireless

Charter Communications is the next cable giant to release its own cellular service, Spectrum Mobile.

The company officially launched the new wireless service option to new and existing Spectrum Internet subscribers across its entire footprint on Tuesday following a soft-launch in early July. The firm’s foray into the wireless area borrows a play from its largest cable competitor Comcast, which debuted its own cellular service in 2017, Xfinity Mobile.

It is unclear whether Spectrum Mobile will be available to business customers, and Charter did not return CRN's request for comment prior to publication time on whether the channel will have access to sell the wireless service.

[Related: Comcast, Charter Wireless Offering Sweetens Services Bundles, But Won't Create A New Market]

Comcast and Charter announced a partnership in April that would help both companies take on the wireless market. The joint venture focused on developing and operating back-end systems that could support both Xfinity Mobile and Spectrum Mobile, and negotiate better wireless contracts that would rival industry heavyweights AT&T and Verizon.

Comcast in April said it had enrolled 577,000 Xfinity Mobile subscribers since its launch one year earlier. The Philadelphia-based cable company hasn't made its own cellular service available through its channel yet.

Spectrum Mobile, like Xfinity Mobile, gives users the choice between a low-cost, $45 unlimited plan or paying by the gig for an unlimited talk and text plan for $14 per gig of data, which is two dollars more expensive than Xfinity Mobile. The service also lets users change their rate plans any time at no additional cost, and offers the "most popular" mobile devices with interest-free monthly installment plans, according to the Stamford, Conn.-based company.

Similar to Comcast's service, Spectrum Mobile also runs on telecom giant Verizon's widespread 4G LTE network via a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) agreement, as well as Charter's 500,000 hotspots, the company said.

"As an intelligent connectivity provider, Spectrum Mobile brings unprecedented flexibility and value to the wireless marketplace," Danny Bowman, chief mobile officer for Charter, said in a statement. "Spectrum Mobile gives customers the freedom to use their favorite devices the way they want, saving them hundreds of dollars annually off their mobile bill, all while reaping the benefits of Charter's superior, value rich network and services."

Charter said it will expand device options and let users "bring their own devices" later this year.