Comcast is lacing up track shoes for a new broadband service

Comcast is lacing up track shoes for a new broadband service. The cable giant recently launched its 'Wideband' high-speed internet service for residential and business customers in the Charleston area. The new offering includes download speeds of up to 50 megabytes per second.

'With this next generation of service, our customers' online experience has been dramatically enhanced,' said Bill Watson, vice president and general manager of Comcast's Charleston market. 'Best of all, this service enables Comcast to double speeds for the majority of existing high-speed internet customers.'

Wideband uses Comcast's fiber optic network that is already in the ground. It includes two premium speed tiers: up to 50 megabytes per second for about $100 per month and up to 22 megabytes per second for about $63 per month for residential customers.

The higher tier means a customer can download a high-definition movie in about 16 minutes, a standard movie in five minutes and a standard television show in seconds, according to Comcast officials.