Corporate
Comcast Cable Celebrates Its 100,000th Digital Cable Customer Nationwide
Feb 19, 1999
Philadelphia, PA.
Comcast Cable Communications, Inc. today announced that it has reached its 100,000th Comcast Digital Cable customer nationwide. The milestone was officially announced at a press conference and product demonstration at the First Union Center in Philadelphia on Friday, February 19, 1999.
Participants at the press conference included: Comcast Cable President Steve Burke; Edward Pardini, Vice President and General Manager of Comcast Cablevision of Philadelphia; U.S. Congressman Bob Borski (D-PA); and the 100,000th Comcast Digital Cable customer. The 100,000th customer received a number of special prizes to commemorate the event.
"We are thrilled that over 100,000 Comcast Cable customers have chosen to upgrade to Digital service in the past year," said Steve Burke, President, Comcast Cable. "Comcast Digital Cable is the best product we have ever launched. Our customers love it and we are introducing it in more markets every week," Burke added.
Comcast Digital Cable has reached this milestone in short order due to overwhelming customer response. The product gives customers more choice and control in their home entertainment viewing experience by providing an average of 170 channels, digital picture and sound and an on-screen interactive guide, for about $10 more than customers pay now each month.
"We are excited to be leading the industry in providing our customers with an expansive digital cable product that averages 170 channels of programming and entertainment," added Burke. "Our customers are able to experience the full spectrum of entertainment programming provided by state-of-the-art digital technology," added Burke.
Comcast estimates it will have an excess of 300,000 digital cable customers by the end of 1999. Comcast Cable reached the 100,000 milestone in less than a year by launching in 13 Comcast systems representing 30% of total subscribers (or 1.5 million). Over the next 60 days, Comcast will be launching Digital Cable in 20 additional markets, bringing the total digital footprint to 65% of total subscribers.
As part of the announcement, Comcast presented its 100,000th digital customer with a free year of Digital Cable service plus a large screen TV with stereo surround sound. The milestone customer was recognized at the press conference and as part of a half-time ceremony during the Philadelphia 76ers/New York Knicks basketball game at the First Union Center.
In addition to providing 170 channels, Comcast Digital Cable offers digital picture and sound quality and an on-screen interactive guide. The service provides up to 35 premium movie channels (e.g. 10 HBO screens versus 1-2) and 38 channels of Comcast Home Theater pay-per-view, providing a virtual multiplex theater in the home. Additionally, Digital Cable offers up to 40 channels of commercial-free digital music channels, including a variety of music genres including rock, jazz, country and classical.
Comcast Digital Cable's on-screen interactive program guide allows users to search for programs by title, time, channel or category to find the programming they want, when they want it. In addition, the on-screen program guide provides easy-to-use parental lockouts for mature programming, as well as programming reminders.
The digital cable service does not require a satellite dish for service or an expensive television for digital reception. Unlike High Definition Television or HDTV, Comcast's programming can be seen on a regular television.
In addition, Comcast Digital Cable television services will provide the platform necessary to make future interactive services possible for Comcast customers, such as Internet TV and e-mail, e-commerce, banking and games.
Comcast Digital Cable is made possible by Comcast's on-going commitment to provide state-of-the-art services that its customers want through its fiber-optic upgrades, coupled with deployment of digital compression technology.
Comcast Corporation (www.comcast.com) is principally engaged in the development, management and operation of broadband cable networks and in the provision of content through principal ownership of QVC, Comcast-Spectacor and Comcast SportsNet, a controlling interest in E! Entertainment Television and through other programming investments.
Comcast's Class A and Class A Special Common Stock are traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbols CMCSA and CMCSK, respectively.