Buckeye CableSystem is changing its name to better reflect the company's core strategies going forward and to recognize the importance of high-speed Internet as society becomes ever-more connected.

Starting today, the company will be known as Buckeye Broadband.

Officials say the new name acknowledges the evolution of the company, which launched in 1965, making Toledo one of the nation’s first cities with dedicated cable television services.

“We’re not changing Buckeye, but we have to identify what it actually is now, which is different than what it was in the 1960s, the 1970s, the 1980s, 1990s, and even the last few years,” said Allan Block, chairman of Block Communications Inc.

Mr. Block said the company isn’t exiting the traditional cable television business, but it is recognizing that broadband is going to be the predominant way of delivering video, phone, and an array of other services that depend on reliable connectivity.

“We’re not walking away from anything, but there's no doubt with technology and the rise of broadband the emphasis changes,” Mr. Block said. “I’m very happy to see us take the next step in our evolution to a modern company for the future of Toledo.”

The biggest change to come along with Buckeye’s new name for most customers will be a free boost in Internet speeds.

Sean Brushett, Buckeye’s chief revenue officer, said starting in July the company will be increasing the 9 megabits-per-second service to 18 mbps, and the 26 mbps service to 50 mbps.

That will coincide with Buckeye’s rollout of new TiVo-developed software that officials say will make it easier for whole home DVR subscribers to find and watch programming from Buckeye and streaming services such as Netflix.

On the customer service end, Mr. Brushett said the company is working through a massive website redesign and in less than a week will expand its retail presence on Navarre Avenue in Oregon.

Customers will be able to pay bills and get new equipment at the store, but the store also will serve as a showcase for all of Buckeye’s products and their capabilities.

Buckeye has been in the broadband Internet business for nearly 20 years. Today, broadband is the biggest part of its business and officials expect its dominance to increase.

“The world’s been changing for quite some time as people have found more and more things to do over the Internet. That can range from the applications that are available and the websites that are available to the devices that you can use to access the Internet,” Buckeye Broadband President Jeff Abbas said.

That’s not just tablets and computers. Earlier this month, for example, Samsung launched its Family Hub refrigerator in the United States. The web-capable appliance has cameras that can be viewed from a smart phone to give shoppers a peek inside their fridge while at the grocery store.

While the Family Hub’s price — starting around $5,600 — is likely to prevent it from becoming commonplace, the idea behind it isn’t so far-fetched as we look toward the future.

“Broadband is the connection that powers the next wave of the digital revolution called the Internet of things,” Mr. Block said.

Buckeye officials said the increased emphasis on broadband offerings will have the company well-situated as more parts of our daily lives get connected.

Block Communications’ other holdings include The Blade, Buckeye Telesystem, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; television stations in Lima, Ohio; Louisville, Boise, and Decatur, Ill.; MaxxSouth Broadband in Mississippi/​Alabama, and Line System Inc., a commercial telephone and data company located in West Chester, Pa.

Contact Tyrel Linkhorn at tlinkhorn@theblade.com or 419-724-6134.

First Published June 1, 2016, 4:00 a.m.