Comcast's "Powerboost" technology gives cable broadband users an extra boost of bandwidth for the first part of a large download (or upload), more than doubling connection speed for a limited time. Since their initial deployment across the Comcast network, they've licensed the technology out to other companies such as Cox or Canadian cable provider Shaw.

A company insider tells me that Time Warner Cable is now testing Powerboost technology in select upstate NY markets. User speed tests in excess of 16Mbps would seem to confirm this information. Initial test results seem to indicate the trials only involve downstream speeds for now.

Some of the areas in upstate New York being used to trial the technology are some of Time Warner Cable's least competitive, where limited 3Mbps deployment of Verizon DSL means the company can rest easy with standard 5Mbps speeds. In other words, it's a nice treat for users who haven't exactly been on the front lines of industry competition.

I've confirmed the tests with one Time Warner Cable employee, and am waiting for additional detail from an official company spokesperson I contacted earlier today. I'm curious if Time Warner Cable is licensing Comcast technology, or have developed some kind of "Powerboost-esque" solution of their own. While some criticize Powerboost as a marketing gimmick that allows carriers to game speed tests, users generally react favorably to the technology.