Two years later Comcast purchased GEs remaining shares. Xfinity is the TV and internet service provider for consumers, while Comcast is the company that owns Xfinity (and other brands, like NBCUniversal). [152], In 2014, critics expressed concern that the deal would give Comcast greater negotiating power in a number of areas, including rebroadcast fees with television channels,[153] and peering agreements with ISPs. You get access to a good sports selection and all the usual premium channels like HBO and STARZ. [92], Comcast offered internet connection for the first time in 1996, with its part in the launch of the @Home Network. [109] In 2004, Comcast sold its QVC shares to Liberty Media for $7.9 billion.[110]. [2][43], With $18.8 million spent in 2013, Comcast has the seventh largest lobbying budget of any individual company or organization in the United States. [31] A dispute in 2004 with CWA, a labor union representing many employees at Comcast's Beaverton, Oregon offices, led to allegations of management intimidating workers, requiring them to attend anti-union meetings and unwarranted disciplinary action for union members. Can it overcome past failures? [73], According to watchdog group Documented, in 2020 Comcast contributed $200,000 to the Rule of Law Defense Fund, a fund-raising arm of the Republican Attorneys General Association that was shown to have provided funding to the Save America March that devolved into an attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.[74]. [18] Critics also point out a lack of competition in the vast majority of Comcast's service areas; in particular, the limited competition among cable providers. [247], On December 21, 2018, Minnesota State Attorney General Lori Swanson filed a lawsuit against Comcast in Hennepin County over allegations that the company had overcharged customers for cable packages, added home security, service protection plans, modem and other equipment packages to customers bills without their consent, and did not give customers the prepaid 200$ Visa cards they promised to give if customers kept up-to-date on their monthly bills for 90 days on their advertisements. In SWOT Analysis of Comcast, the strengths and weaknesses are the internal factors whereas opportunities and threats are the external factors. [120] A gold trophy in the shape of a pile of human feces was delivered to Comcast Corporate Headquarters to commemorate the unmatched level of enmity flowing from their customer base to their business. "[202] Eight days later, 21st Century Fox shareholders agreed to sell the majority of its assets to Disney for $71.3 billion. These issues and others led to Comcast being dubbed "The Worst Company in America" by The Consumerist in 2010 and 2014. ; the film studio Universal Pictures; the VOD streaming service Peacock; animation studios DreamWorks Animation, Illumination, Universal Animation Studios and Universal Parks & Resorts. [102][103] This spurred the start of Comcast Advertising Sales (using AT&T's groundwork) which would later be renamed Comcast Spotlight and now effectv, A Comcast Company. Xfinitys internet service is fast and reliable. 1.2 TB. [184] Then on June 5, 2018, Culture Secretary Matt Hancock cleared both 21st Century Fox and Comcast's respective offers to acquire Sky plc. [62][63] Cohen has been described by many sources as influential in the U.S. government,[64] though he is no longer a registered lobbyist, as the time he spends lobbying falls short of the 20% which requires official registration. [65] Comcast's PAC, the Comcast Corporation and NBCUniversal Political Action Committee, is among the largest PACs in the U.S., raising about $3.7 million from 2011 to 2012 for the campaigns of various candidates for office in the United States Federal Government. [188][189][190] On June 19, 2018, Disney formally agreed to acquire Sky News as part of Fox's proposed bid, with a 15-year commitment to increase its annual funding from 90 million to 100 million. You may have also seen some confusing branding, like "Comcast Xfinity" or "Xfinity by Comcast." Silver Winner - Extra-Large Company Comcast Corp. Gold Winner - Extra-Large Company: Comcast-Spectacor, The 15 Best Companies for Workforce Diversity, "Comcast profit jumps 30%, with mixed results at NBCUniversal", "Is Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) A Risky Investment? Following the acquisition, Comcast announced it will set up its first development center in Israel. [42], For the fiscal year 2017, Comcast reported earnings of US$22.7 billion, with an annual revenue of US$84.5 billion, an increase of 5.5% over the previous fiscal cycle. [19] Given its negotiating power as a large ISP, some suspect that it could leverage paid peering agreements to unfairly influence end-user connection speeds. Channel packages for Xfinity vary by region. [84][85] Also that year, Comcast made a founding investment of $380 million in QVC. Comcast owns and operates the Xfinity residential cable communications business segment and division; Comcast Business, a commercial services provider; and Xfinity Mobile, an MVNO of Verizon. Xfinity's services . Bright and clear, even in sunlight. Additional rivals were acquired, including E.W. In addition to acquiring cable television systems, Comcast moved into the areas of entertainment and program content development. Typically, we recommend a mid-tier package from Xfinity because of their higher channel counts and affordable pricing. All rights reserved. [244] The FCC issued a $2.3 million fine to Comcast after finding that the company was charging customers for unordered services and equipment. [102] The proposed name for the merged company was "AT&T Comcast", but the companies ultimately decided to keep only the Comcast name, with the company and new assets reincorporated in Pennsylvania on December 7, 2001. [251][253], In June 2021, the Supreme Court rejected a petition for review by Comcast regarding an anti-trust lawsuit by Viamedia, Inc. after the Biden administration had recommended against review. | Nov 7, 2022. At the same time, Fox was given clearance by the British government to purchase Sky. Xfinity provides three basic services: cable TV, internet, and phone. [187], On June 15, 2018, the European Commission gave antitrust clearance to Comcast's offer to purchase Sky, citing that in terms of their current assets in Europe, there would be limited impact on competition. Plus, today as more programming moves to new media like YouTubeTV, Amazon TV, HULU, Apple TV, Disney TV+, Apple TV . Entertainment. Comcast is additionally the nation's third-largest home telephone service provider. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Analysis of the surveys states that "Comcast is one of the lowest scoring companies in ACSI. Bundling is usually the best way to get value for your money with a cable service, and Xfinity is no exception. [159] On March 6, 2014, the United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division confirmed it was investigating the deal. Comcast's new filing urged the FCC to grant the petition "as soon as . As part of the deal, Time Warner Cable and Comcast traded existing subscribers in order to consolidate them into larger geographic clusters.[125][126]. Comcast Timeline [60] Comcast was among the top backers of Barack Obama's presidential runs, with Comcast vice president David Cohen raising over $2.2 million from 2007 to 2012. Report a Problem Full Outage Map Problems in the last 24 hours The graph below depicts the number of Comcast Xfinity reports received over the last 24 hours by time of day. In addition, numerous customers reported inappropriate name-calling and interrogation by customer service representatives. [181] On April 25, 2018, Comcast made its formal counter-bid for Sky plc, offering 12.50 per-share; Sky subsequently withdrew its recommendation of the Fox bid. [198], However, on July 12, 2018, the Department of Justice filed a notice of appeal with the D.C. Before it was renamed for Comcast's cable subsidiary, Xfinity Center was called Comcast Center from its opening in 2002 through July 2014. Also known as: American Cable Systems, Comcast Corporation. [111][112] On October 31, 2005, Comcast officially announced that it had acquired Susquehanna Communications, a South Central Pennsylvania-based cable television and broadband services provider and unit of the former Susquehanna Pfaltzgraff company, for $775 million cash. [229][230][231] In November 2022, Comcast and Charter announced that the joint venture would use the Xumo name, with Xfinity Flex, Xumo, and XClassTV rebranded as Xumo Stream Box, Xumo Play, and Xumo TV respectively.[232]. Power Releases 2008 Residential Television Service Satisfaction Survey, "Netflix's Hastings makes the case for Net neutrality", "Cable monopolies hurt consumers and the nation", "Congratulations To Comcast, Your 2014 Worst Company In America! Comcast Business Customer? Apple (AAPL): $2.74 Trillion Founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, Apple has a market cap of $2.74 trillion, far surpassing those of its competitors. Hes written about consumer technology for nearly a decade with coverage in outlets including Newsweek Media Group, TopTenReviews, and Wirecutter. [203] On September 25, 2018, Comcast bought a 30% stake of Sky plc. [249], As of fall 2019, Comcast is the last major cable provider or streamer to neglect to carry the ACC Network, prompting some customers to consider cutting the cord or switching providers. With their theme park in California being closed since March 2020 and limited capacity at locations in Florida and Japan, the company was prompted to lay off a number of their employees; revenue for their theme park locations fell 81 percent to $311 million from $1.63 billion in 2019. At the time, American Cable was a small cable operator in Tupelo, Mississippi, with five channels and 12,000 customers. Titled "Five Nightmares You Live While Working For America's Worst Company", it claimed that Comcast was obsessed with sales, didn't train its employees properly, and concluded that "the system makes good customer service impossible. It also has significant holdings in digital distribution, such as thePlatform, which it acquired in 2006; and ad-tech company FreeWheel, which it acquired in 2014. Well, you'll be surprised to know that there is zero difference between Comcast vs. Xfinity. Comcast Corporation is an American telecommunications conglomerate. First, it didnt work all that well. Comcast is a global media and technology company. We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our theme parks and consumer experiences. Eric Chiu is a CableTV.com senior writer who covers subjects including internet providers and home tech advice. Comcast is the parent company, and Xfinity is Comcasts brand for TV, internet, and home phone services. Comcast Cable is one of the United States' largest video, high-speed Internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the XFINITY brand, and also provides these services to . "[252] North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper asked Comcast and AT&T to carry the network, after which AT&T did so on their U-Verse cable service. Comcast is a large telecommunications company offering a variety of services, including cable television and broadband internet, while Xfinity is a brand owned and operated by Comcast, under which it provides its consumer cable TV, internet, telephone, and wireless services. Second, there was some concern that Comcast undertook the rebranding in an attempt to move away from the negative image associated with the Comcast brand. [185][186] Eight days later, Comcast officially announced a $65 billion counter-offer to acquire the 21st Century Fox's assets that Disney offered to purchase. In July 2006, Comcast purchased the Seattle-based software company thePlatform. With the Xfinity Stream app you can watch live TV and On Demand content from your computer or mobile device. . Comcast Xfinity is the largest cable TV company and largest home Internet service provider in the United States. The new service, described as being a "Wi-Fi and MVNO-integrated product", and was expected to launch in mid-2017. "[175] On December 14, Disney officially confirmed its acquisition of 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion in stock, pending review from the United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division.[176]. Xfinity internet availability. Comcast Xfinity and AT&T are two largest Pay TV competitors. "[235][236], In April 2014, Comcast was awarded the 2014 "Worst Company in America" award; an annual contest by the consumer affairs blog The Consumerist that runs a series of reader polls to determine the least popular company in America. The solution was to form Xfinity: a consumer-facing internet and television brand. [168] Universal Pictures took over distribution of DreamWorks Animation films beginning in 2019 with How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World after DreamWorks Animation's deal with 20th Century Fox expired. Comcast, in full Comcast Corporation, formerly (196369) American Cable Systems, majormultinational telecommunications and entertainment conglomerate, the largest in the United States as of 2022. Youre on this page because youve asked yourself: Are Comcast and Xfinity the same thing? The short answer is kinda. On April 8, 2005, a partnership led by Comcast and Sony Pictures Entertainment finalized a deal to acquire MGM and its affiliate studio, United Artists, and created an additional outlet to carry MGM/UA's material for cable and Internet distribution. ", "Comcast to buy DreamWorks Animation for 2.6bn", "Comcast in Discussions to Buy DreamWorks Animation, WSJ Reports", "Comcast Completes $3.8 Billion Purchase of DreamWorks Animation", Comcast confirms plans to launch mobile phone service in 2017, "Comcast confirms plans to launch mobile phone service in 2017", "Comcast Is Launching a Wireless Service Next Year", "RPT-Comcast builds out "smart home" strategy as cable shrinks", "Comcast plunges again into cell phone service. It provides services to U.S. residential and commercial customers in 40 states and the District of Columbia. In the end, the important thing to know is that Xfinitys TV and internet services are consistent and reliableand come in solid bundle deals. [78][89] By 1994, Comcast owned 50% stock in the cable communications company Garden State Cable, who by that year were serving approximately 195,000 subscribers. "[246], In February 2017, Comcast was ordered by the self-regulatory National Advertising Review Board to cease using a claim based on Speedtest.net data that it has "America's fastest internet", stating that "Ookla's data showed only that Xfinity consumers who took advantage of the free tests offered on the Speedtest.net website subscribed to tiers of service with higher download speeds than Verizon FiOS consumers who took advantage of the tests." 21st Century Fox, which owns 39% stake in Sky, had previously declined a US$60 billion acquisition offer by Comcast in favor of its deal with Disney, due to anti-competition concerns. [225][226][227], On October 19, 2021, Comcast announced "XClass TV", a line of smart TVs manufactured by Hisense that would be powered by the X1 software platform used by its cable services. Find help & support articles, chat online, or schedule a call with an agent. Before it was acquired by Charter Communications on May 18, 2016, it was ranked the second largest cable company in the United States by revenue behind only Comcast, operating in 29 states. [210][211][212][213], Through Sky, Comcast offers any first-party and third-party television programming which using the satellite distribution system to its customers and subscribers across several countries in Europe, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. Sign in to the Service Status Center in the event of a suspected outage. It ranks alright in most categories, and its number one in user experience. [136][137][138] GE would take over the remaining 49% stake in NBC Universal, using $5.8billion to buy out Vivendi's 20% minority stake in NBC Universal. "[29] A widely read article by an anonymous Comcast call center employee appeared in November 2014 on Cracked. *Measured diagonally, the screen size is 6.4" in the full rectangle and 6.3" accounting for the rounded corners. Fox's offer is contingent on the divestiture of Sky News. [24], Comcast is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and has offices in Atlanta, Detroit, Denver, Manchester, New Hampshire and New York City. The ACSI indicates that almost half of all cable customers (regardless of company) have registered complaints, and that cable is the only industry to score below 60 in the ACSI. [113] In December 2005, Comcast announced the creation of Comcast Interactive Media, a new division focused on online media. Over a number of years, Comcast became majority owner of Comcast SportsNet, as well as Golf Channel and NBCSN (formerly the Outdoor Life Network, then Versus). Comcast Corporation is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses: Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. If anything, it seemed to confuse consumers more than clarify things for them. By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Comcast, in full Comcast Corporation, formerly (1963-69) American Cable Systems, major multinational telecommunications and entertainment conglomerate, the largest in the United States as of 2022. When a certain port is known to cause vulnerability to the security and privacy of your information, Xfinity blocks it to protect you. Comcast Customer Service is here to provide Help and Support for your Xfinity Internet, TV, Voice, Home and other services. In April 2005, in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, Comcast acquired Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. Four years later it was announced that Comcast had agreed to acquire 51 percent of NBCUniversal from General Electric Co. (GE); the deal was completed in January 2011.