Comcast announced it is increasing the speeds of some of its most popular Xfinity Internet service tiers – including Blast and Performance Pro – for new and existing customers in the Northeast Division, which includes 14 northeastern states from Maine through Virginia and the District of Columbia. The increases are at no additional cost and underscore the company’s leadership in delivering some of the fastest broadband Internet speeds, including Gigabit-speed services for both residential and business customers.
Speed increases will vary based on a customers’ current speed subscription, but the vast majority will see an increase of 50 Mbps. The changes include:
- Blast tier download speeds increasing from 200 Mbps to 250 Mbps
- Performance Pro tier download speeds increasing from 100 Mbps to 150 Mbps
- Performance tier download speeds increasing from 25 Mbps to 60 Mbps
- Performance Starter tier download speeds increasing from 10 Mbps to 15 Mbps
“With new devices coming online for consumers every day, we’re committed to offering the fastest speeds and the best features and overall experience so our customers can take advantage of the technology available,” said Kevin Casey, President of Comcast’s Northeast Division. “We’ve increased speeds 17 times in the last 17 years, and continue to invest to deliver a fast, innovative and reliable experience in and out of the home.”
New and existing customers can expect to see enhanced speeds this month. Most customers will automatically be upgraded to the new speeds, and will simply need to re-start their modems. Comcast will notify customers who may need to upgrade their modems to receive the new speeds. Those who lease modems from Comcast and require an upgrade can do so for no additional charge by requesting a self-install kit or visiting an Xfinity Store or service center. Those owning modems requiring an upgrade can purchase a new one or lease an Xfinity modem, which includes Xfinity xFi, which is a digital dashboard that lets customers personalize, manage and control their home Wi-Fi experience.
For instance, customers can access xFi features via the mobile app, website, or TV with the X1 voice remote to set up their home Wi-Fi network, find their password, see what devices are connected, troubleshoot issues, set parental controls and even pause Wi-Fi access on their home network during dinner or bedtime. Comcast also recently introduced xFi Pods – small, wireless Wi-Fi extenders that help blanket virtually any home with Wi-Fi coverage even in hard-to-reach areas. These are available in Boston and will continue to roll out across the Northeast Division.
Today’s announcement follows a number of moves, like the introduction of xFi and xFi Pods, that the company has made to enhance its high-speed internet offerings. Comcast has invested billions of dollars in its network, locally and nationally, and delivers in most of the Northeast Division speeds ranging from up to 15 Mbps to up to 2 Gbps for residential customers and up to 10 Gbps for business customers. Comcast’s 1 Gigabit-per-second speeds, which began launching to local residential and business customers last summer, are among the fastest and most widely available in the area. The service uses DOCSIS 3.1 technology to make it possible for Xfinity and Comcast Business internet customers to receive gigabit speeds over the communications lines that most customers already have in place. It is currently available across 80% of the division and set to reach almost all areas by the end of the year.
So that customers can take advantage of increased internet speeds at home, Comcast also introduced the fastest in-home WiFi gateway. And on the go, Comcast provides Xfinity Internet customers with complimentary access to more than 18 million Xfinity WiFi hotspots nationwide. Customers can select “xfinitywifi” from the list of available networks on their laptops or mobile devices and enter their Xfinity ID or email and password.
In addition to these enhancements, Comcast also offers the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program, Internet Essentials. This program provides low-cost broadband service for $9.95 a month, digital literacy training and discounted computers for low-income Americans.