Netgear announced new Wi-Fi cable modems Wednesday, using...

Netgear announced new Wi-Fi cable modems Wednesday, using Comcast’s proposed acquisition of Time Warner Cable as a peg. “Consumers are looking to decrease cable fees in any way possible and purchasing a cable modem router at retail versus renting one through the provider is an easy way to cut costs,” the company said. The Netgear hybrids include a DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem said to deliver a maximum download speed of 340 Mbps for smoother streaming of HD videos, music and movies; more responsive gaming; and faster file downloads, Netgear said. The 8x4 CableLabs-certified cable modems support eight download and four upload channels simultaneously, Netgear said. The C3700 ($129.99) comes with two gigabit ethernet ports and operates across the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. The single-band 2.4 GHz N450 ($119.99) has four gigabit ethernet ports, and the 2.4 GHz C3000 ($99.99) offers two gigabit ethernet ports. The modems are shipping now.