January 5, 2004, 4:12 PM PST
By Jim Hu
Staff Writer, CNET News.com

Time Warner Cable is quietly trying to lure back former customers by matching monthly fees for its Road Runner high-speed Internet service with prices from cheaper competitors.

The nation's second-largest cable company last month launched a program in Kansas City, Mo., to offer its Road Runner cable Internet service for the same price as DSL (digital subscriber line) competitor SBC Communications. Residents in the region can get Road Runner service for $26.95 a month for one year, a far cry from its standard price of $44.95 a month.

The price match is a promotion to win back former Road Runner customers who defected to SBC's cheaper broadband rates, Time Warner Cable spokesman Mark Harrad said. The promotion is specific to that region and does not reflect an overall cut in its prices, he said.

Continued @ CNET News.com