Time Warner Telecom is changing its name. To what, exactly, isn’t completely certain.

Stockholders of the competitive local exchange carrier have authorized it to change its name to “TW Telecom” if it hasn’t come up with a better name by July 13, 2007.

No matter what the company calls itself after that date, it won’t include the words “Time Warner,” regulatory filings said.

The license agreement that allows Time Warner Telecom to use the name of its major shareholder, Time Warner, was set to expire in July 2006 but was instead extended another year as the company pondered a new name. “TW Telecom” has been the leading candidate since at least March.

The company hopes a new name will help it to avoid being confused with Time Warner’s subsidiary, Time Warner Cable, which competes with Time Warner Telecom in some markets. Both companies offer Internet and data services to small and medium businesses. And in some places, the two have already gone head-to-head in the business data transport market.

Time Warner Cable created Time Warner Telecom in 1993 and spun it off as its own company in 1997.

Time Warner Cable isn’t prohibited by its parent from competing with Time Warner Telecom for business customers. However, the latter leases fiber from its cable counterpart in an agreement that prevents it from using that fiber to offer residential services until 2028. Time Warner Telecom is also barred from using its cable counterpart’s fiber to offer “any entertainment, information or content services” without the consent of Time Warner.

Earlier this year, Time Warner Telecom hired San Francisco strategy and design firm Truebrand to advise it on its rebranding strategy.