U.S. cableco Time Warner Cable has taken the wraps off a new addition its Pivot service, allowing users to check their email accounts and watch mobile TV programming, mysa.com reports. Pivot also lets users set up a single voicemail box for their mobile phones and their Time Warner home fixed-line phones, and make free calls between the two.

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Pivot, a service that lets users link mobile, fixed-line, Internet and digital cable services, is being offered in partnership with mobile operator Sprint Nextel. Cable companies Cox Communications, Comcast Corp. and Advance/Newhouse Communications also are involved in the venture. The companies have been testing Pivot in a handful of cities since last year. This week marks the introduction of the service Kansas City and San Antonio, bringing the total to 10 U.S. cities with a nationwide introduction to 40 cities slated by end-2007.

Time Warner will gradually add new features, allowing Pivot users to program their Time Warner digital video recorders using their mobile phones, for example. The company also plans to introduce local video content for the service — such as local football games or city council meetings.http://www.moconews.net/entry/419-cable-companies-compete-with-mobile-but-at-a-disadvantage/