Time Warner Telecom punts on new name

Time Warner Telecom has given itself more time to come up with a new name.

The licensing agreement that allows the carrier to use the namesake of its former major shareholder, media giant Time Warner, was to expire July 13, 2007. But the carrier has extended it to June 30, 2008, it revealed in regulatory filings last week.

The company expects to spend between $3 million and $4 million on the re-branding effort over the next three quarters.

This is at least the second time the company has pushed back the re-branding deadline. More than a year ago, its licensing agreement was extended from July 2006 to July 2007.

The company hopes a new name will help it to avoid being confused with Time Warner’s subsidiary, Time Warner Cable, which competes with Time Warner Telecom in some markets. Both companies offer Internet and data services to small and medium businesses. And in some places, the two compete in the business data transport market. Time Warner Cable created Time Warner Telecom in 1993 and spun it off as its own company in 1997.

Last fall, Time Warner Telecom’s shareholders authorized the company to change its name to “TW Telecom” if it didn’t come up with something better.