Time Warner Cable completes digital upgrade in L.A.

Time Warner Cable this week wrapped up a nearly yearlong upgrade to its Los Angeles network, completing a switch to all-digital from analog systems.

Now, Time Warner Cable’s entire base of pay-TV customers will have digital television channels. For years, subscribers have been converting to all-digital packages, which provide clearer television picture and sound, but the company continued to provide analog as well as digital signals.

It just now finished its transition to all-digital.

The upgrade resulted in increased speeds for its high-speed Internet customers.

The reason: each analog channel requires as much capacity on the network as three or four high-definition channels. A Time Warner Cable spokesman said the company was using the freed-up capacity on its network to increase Internet speeds for customers.

Customers who had standard Internet service, or up to 15 megabits per second, will have up to 50 megabits per second.

The upgrade required Time Warner Cable technicians to replace network hardware and wiring throughout the region.

The company this week also completed a similar upgrade in New York. It is planning improvements to its networks in San Diego, Kansas City, Dallas, San Antonio, Hawaii, Charlotte, N.C., and Raleigh, N.C.

The company also said it has added Wi-Fi hot spots in San Diego and Palm Springs. Previously the bulk of Time Warner Cable’s Wi-Fi hot spots in Southern California were in Los Angeles.

Twitter: @MegJamesLAT