Start up WorldGate Communications Communications Inc is slowly gathering momentum for its service, which offers internet over cable at incoming speeds of up to 128 Kbps using a standard analog or digital set-top box. It is a direct rival to offerings from Microsoft Corp’s WebTV Networks Inc and NetChannel Inc. Its latest move is to sign deals with four international cable operators and two more in the US to trial its service, adding a further 3.8 million households to its trialist base. Denver, Colorado-based United International Holdings (UIH), Cablevision of Singapore, General Cable of the UK, and SuperCable of Caracas, Venezuela have all signed up for the service. Although based in the US, UIH is offering it on its New Zealand and Vienna, Austria-based systems. In addition, Rifkin & Associates Cablevision Communication Systems of Miami Beach and Mooresville, North Carolina-based Prestige Cable have signed deals to test the service for 483,000 of their customers in the US. The first company to roll out a trial of the service was Charter Communications in September.
