High Speed Access had Paul Allen's money behind it and an Allen company, Charter, as its biggest partner. In 1999 cable-modem internet was the fastest way online at home, but it reached mostly big cities. Small-town cable systems often lacked the partners and capital to offer it. High Speed Access upgraded those systems, ran the service, and handled support. It split the revenue with the cable operator. It went public in June 1999, backed by Allen's Vulcan Ventures.

A Partner in Allen's Orbit

The bet was that broadband would spread beyond the big cities, and that someone would need to bring it there. High Speed Access offered small cable operators a turnkey service, so they could skip building their own technical teams. Its largest partner was Charter Communications, another company in Paul Allen's orbit. That tie was both a strength and a risk. In the end, Charter would also be its buyer.

Charter Buys the Network

High Speed Access priced its offering at $13 a share in June 1999. The model needed heavy spending in each new town. Losses mounted when capital grew scarce in 2000. In 2001 the company agreed to sell its operations to Charter. Charter closed the purchase in February 2002, paying $81.1 million in cash and taking on some liabilities. High Speed Access was left with little more than cash and the task of winding down its affairs.

Cover: Picture of Steam Locomotives Traveling, Utagawa Yoshitora. Art Institute of Chicago, public domain. Chosen for a steam locomotive (high speed).