You’ve probably seen the news by now about Comcast’s massive, multi-billion-dollar broadband network upgrade. Over the past 5 years, Comcast has invested an additional $20 billion on top of decades of investment and innovation to advance our vision for broadband. This huge investment will ensure our customers get the fastest and most reliable broadband services and best home Wi-Fi experience available now and in the future.

By making these investments today, Comcast is delivering on one of our nation’s top priorities: bringing state-of-the-art broadband everywhere and getting everyone connected.  This private investment reflects the competitiveness of America’s broadband industry and how it is delivering for hundreds of millions of people.

Let’s break down this transformative work:

World-Class Performance.  Our investments will deliver multi-gigabit, symmetrical speeds through several technologies, including direct fiber connections and improvements to the existing network that will lead to even faster symmetrical speeds. And ultra-low-latency technology will ensure consumers can access the most demanding real-time applications today and into the future.

Everywhere. The Xfinity 10G Network reaches every corner of our footprint – from Baltimore, Miami and Houston to Silicon Valley and Seattle - and every one of our markets in between.  For every home we pass, our goal is to offer access to the most advanced technologies. In Comcast markets, we do not show preference to some neighborhoods while avoiding others nearby.

Speed to Deployment. Before much of the federal infrastructure money is put to work for unserved areas, our private investment will deliver the Xfinity 10G Network across the country - with a goal of deploying these improvements to tens of millions of homes and businesses by 2025.

It’s not about the wire.  Upgrading our network with these new technologies is faster and more efficient. Our ability to use the existing network ensures we can rely on current physical infrastructure and upgraded software and hardware for much of this upgrade. As a result, there is minimal disruption to communities. The vast majority of our upgrades do not require construction crews digging up sidewalks or roads in neighborhoods. And because our network already reaches more than 60 million homes and businesses, we can move quickly as the network continues to be upgraded.

Secure and Reliable.  The Xfinity 10G Network has end-to-end cybersecurity protection and uses cutting-edge technology to identify outages. Our network incorporates self-healing technology using artificial intelligence and machine learning applications. Customers will also have the option to receive “storm-ready” devices in their homes with cellular and battery backup to keep them connected during network or power outages.

Closing the Digital Divide.  Our multi-billion-dollar private investment in an upgraded network means that more government dollars can be directed to where they are needed most – to connect the unconnected.

  • Government funding should be targeted to where it is truly needed – unserved and underserved areas. Comcast’s private investment in its network – with capabilities that far exceed any minimum definition of broadband – means policymakers can target broadband infrastructure funds to hard-to-reach locations. Taxpayer funds won’t be needed for infrastructure deployment where Comcast and other ISPs already offer consumers a world-class broadband network.
  • More government funding should be focused on broadband adoption. With world-class networks available across much of the country, government dollars can be spent to help everyone get online. The Digital Equity Act – created by Congress – can support digital navigator programs that break down barriers to adoption by helping people learn how to get connected, use devices, and acquire digital skills.

For over a decade, Comcast has been a leader in getting everyone online, investing in our network, and encouraging smart government programs. We won’t let up on our efforts either, because we want both first-time and long-time broadband users to benefit from America’s best broadband.

David Don is SVP, Public Policy at Comcast