Surf’s Up for Atlantic Broadband

Atlantic Broadband formally launched its service in western Pennsylvania and 11 south Florida markets Monday.

The operator completed its acquisition of 230,000 customers -- including more than 130,000 in western Pennsylvania and more than 85,000 in south Florida -- from Charter Communications Inc. March 1.

Among changes instituted by the new operator, Atlantic is offering three levels of high-speed Internet service, including a $21.95 monthly “starter” service.

The company is retaining digital sports and movie tiers for existing customers, but it won’t offer them to new sign-ups. Instead, it’s pitching a “streamlined” $16.95-per-month digital tier, including the converter and a premium channel.

Premium-movie packages are being simplified to enable customer choice and discounts at lower levels of service, the operator added.

Atlantic is also expanding its Hispanic programming, adding 14 channels to a “Digital Latino” tier, bringing it to 22 channels of digital Spanish-language programming for $17.45 per month for customers of its “Limited” or “Value Service” (including one digital receiver). For “Digital Service” subscribers, the price is $10 per month.

And Atlantic offers online bill payment, including the ability to view past statements and monitor payment status.

Atlantic is headed by former Continental Cablevision Inc. executives David Keefe (CEO) and Ed Holleran (president).