After Time Warner Cable's ownership structure in the Tampa Bay area changed last year, it adopted the new name Bright House Networks and printed ads urging prospective customers to sign up and "live in a Bright House."
But the company apparently picked a house that was already occupied.
Atlanta market research company BrightHouse LLC has sued Bright House and its parent, Advanced/Newhouse Communications, in U.S. District Court in Tampa, claiming trademark infringement on a name it says it registered in 1999 and has used throughout the United States and Europe. Bright House Networks has denied the allegations.
While it's not yet clear which side will prevail, a quick Internet search reveals that variants of the name "Bright House" aren't exactly unique to either the market research company or the cable company. There's the Internet company Brighthouse Web Solutions of San Antonio, Texas, the construction company Brighthouse Conservatories Ltd. of Devon, England, and a consulting company, BrightHouse Management BV of the Netherlands.
