Time Warner Cable has finally launched the long-awaited upgrades to DOCSIS 3.0 technology in parts of New York City. While Time Warner Cable is lagging behind other cable operators in terms of upgrading to the faster technology (largely because of limited competition in many markets), Verizon's recent contract with NYC to bring FiOS to all boroughs by 2014 apparently forced the company's hand. According to Time Warner Cable, they're now offering a 50 Mbps downstream and 5 Mbps upstream for $99.95 per month.

Given Time Warner Cable's rush toward metered billing, the company was roundly criticized by users for pushing higher prices on consumers, yet failing to upgrade the network, most of which remains on older DOCSIS 1.1 technology. Rumblings of the tier have been ongoing for much of the year, Cisco engineers telling us they were already testing the technology for the company in New York City earlier this Spring.

According to Time Warner Cable, the faster 50 Mbps tier is available starting today in Manhattan (below 79th Street), Staten Island and Queens (specifically Fresh Meadows, Forest Hills and South Flushing). According to the company, the faster speed will be available across their entire NYC service area by Spring 2010.

Small carriers have beaten Time Warner Cable to the punch in terms of the upgrades, with companies like Midcontinent Communications delivering the techology to Fargo long before Time Warner Cable could be bothered to upgrade Manhattan. Larger carriers, like Comcast, say they'll have 85% of their network wired by the end of this year, with all markets upgraded by the end of 2010. Time Warner Cable, in contrast, has only one launch under its belt and has given no timeline for further deployments.

Unofficially, one insider tells us you'll very likely see at least two or three more DOCSIS 3.0 launches sometime during the next three to four months including Buffalo in November, Syracuse in December, and Albany in January.

"Time Warner Cable is a proven innovator, reinforcing that it’s the best choice overall for residential and business telecommunications needs," company executive Howard Szarfarc proclaims in a prepared statement. "Through our advanced fiber-optic network, we deliver cutting-edge products that speak to the growing needs of both the tech-savvy user and multi-media families who simply want the fastest speeds right now," he says.

If by "proven innovator" Mr. Szarfarc means "late to market with an expected technology already deployed by countless other operators," he's dead on. Fortunately for Time Warner Cable they really don't have to innovate, given the majority of their markets see only limited competition from phone companies offering slower DSL. While Time Warner Cable sees some pressure from Verizon FiOS in New York, even there they've still got time to upgrade and lock users into long term contracts before Verizon completes their FTTH build.