Time Warner live iPad TV overwhelmed, temporarily cut back
updated 01:30 pm EDT, Wed March 16, 2011
Time Warner TWCable TV iPad app hit by demand
Time Warner Cable gave the first clues that that live iPad TV streaming was in hot demand on Wednesday with word that its TWCable TV app had been overcome by demand. The app was popular enough late Tuesday that customers couldn't use the authentication system. The cable giant hoped to offset the load by temporarily cutting back the number of channels from 30 to 15 until it was ready to handle the load.
Extra channels beyond the first 30 were still coming, it promised.
The demand is unprecedented for a TV-oriented app and is surprising given the limitations of the app, which has to be used on a Wi-Fi network attached to a Time Warner cable modem. Many have been calling for more powerful apps that let viewers watch from anywhere as long as they have a usable connection. Providers have hinted at the option in the long term, but it has mostly been limited on the iPad to using a Slingbox.
