MetroCast's hi-def service has blossomed quickly as well. Last Christmas the company offered a nine-channel basic HD tier consisting of local broadcast signals, In Demand's two channels and New England Sports Network. By the end of May MetroCast had more than 1,500 HD customers who had access to 24 HD channels--one of the largest HD lineups available anywhere. WealthTV and NFL Network HD are the newest additions.
MetroCast wants to add Rainbow Media's 21-channel Voom Originals package as quickly as possible. Rainbow offered the package for carriage on cable and DBS following the shutdown of parent Cablevision's Voom DBS venture. "We're interested in a deal," Murdough says.