Comcast Passes Gigantic, Approaches Planetary Business is booming for nation's biggest broadband, third biggest phone company Tipped by caco 
Comcast, which recently passed AT&T as the biggest broadband carrier in the United States, is also now the third largest phone company. Once they merge with NBC Universal, the company will be getting even more powerful. In short -- things are going well for the cable giant, and the company's earnings this morning continue the trend. The company posted revenues of $9.07 billion, and $35.7 billion for 2009 -- with $955 million net income for last quarter. Comcast now has 47.1 million broadband, voice and TV customers, and is poised to grow further with a push into Mobile WiMax and Internet video during 2010. According to Comcast's earnings report, the company lost 199,000 basic cable customers on the quarter. However, they added 410,000 digital video customers, 247,000 broadband customers, and 243,000 digital voice customers on the quarter. In a statement, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said the company will focus on a number of goals for 2010, including finishing their deployment of faster DOCSIS 3.0 technology, as well as offering their Internet video service Xfinity (free to existing Comcast customers but not yet available to customers of other providers) to their entire userbase. While Comcast notes they're still struggling with a sluggish economy, consumers have traditionally shown that TV service is one of the last things they've trimmed back on. The monthly average total revenue per video customer jumped 6.4% from $111.05 to $118.20, according to Comcast, so apparently the sluggish economy isn't quite that sluggish. While it's easy to be wary of Comcast's size, Comcast's at least putting money back into the network. The company is already quickly approaching 80% coverage for DOCSIS 3.0 upgrades, while the nation's second largest carrier (Time Warner Cable) has barely managed to upgrade just one. Meanwhile, investment into mobile wireless (which may be ramping up this year) should give them an edge as the "quadruple play" (voice/broadband/TV/wireless) finally becomes a realistic option.
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 | | Hmm.. I guess this means less people use sex as their favorite pass time, opting for the flat screen (or glass tube). I mean, for those who still have a job anyway... | |
|  |  BelinrahsI have an ego the size of a small planetPremium
join:2007-09-07
Nashville, MI
1 edit | Re: Hmm.. Nope, people still like both. It's called porn. | |
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| | We're Doomed quote:
Comcast, which recently passed AT&T as the biggest broadband carrier in the United States,...
And I helped! 
quote:
...offering their Internet video service Xfinity (free to existing Comcast customers ...
Never heard of it before, and I'm not inclined to watch TV on my computer, anyway. Even if I was, what're the odds it'll work on a Linux box? But glad I'm getting it, anyway... I guess...
quote:
While Comcast notes they're still struggling with a sluggish economy, consumers have traditionally shown that TV service is one of the last things they've trimmed back on.
Just another sign that, as a race, or at least as a nation, we're freakin' doomed  | |
| |  56403739Less than 5 months leftPremium
join:2006-03-08
Naples, FL
kudos:2 | Re: We're Doomed Welcome to the new Bell. | |
| | |  ggma1126ggma1126Premium
join:2008-08-30
Claymont, DE | Re: We're Doomed said by 56403739:Welcome to the new Bell. and look what happened to Ma Bell - she was forced to break up which in my view is the road comcast is traveling especially now with the nbc universal purchase - JMHO | |
| | | | WhatNowPremium
join:2009-05-06
Charlotte, NC | Re: We're Doomed AT&T Corporate Ma Bell decided to lose the case so they could get into the computer business and compete wit IBM and NCR plus PC computers. At the time they were banned from that business. They thought the Baby Bells were holding them back like an anchor.
How did that work out for AT&T. After they got rid of the Baby Bells they realized how important they were to the AT&T bottom line. It also showed how bad the management team at the top was when they had to make a quick decision in the personal computer business. | |
| | | | | | | Re: We're Doomed said by WhatNow:AT&T Corporate Ma Bell decided to lose the case so they could get into the computer business and compete wit IBM and NCR plus PC computers. Close. What happened was AT&T (the real AT&T) realized the breakup was inevitable so they might as well get something out of it.
said by WhatNow:How did that work out for AT&T. After they got rid of the Baby Bells they realized how important they were to the AT&T bottom line. Hardly. Long-lines subsidized local service. Here's a nice executive summary of the history: Bell System divestiture.
said by WhatNow:It also showed how bad the management team at the top was when they had to make a quick decision in the personal computer business. The management team at (the real) AT&T made one bad decision after another and repeatedly failed to execute plans.. That is how the company became so lame it was eventually bought up by one of its former "children." They effectively destroyed a once great, nearly legendary, telecommunications company. AT&T: Gone. Western Electric: Effectively gone. Bell Labs: All but gone. What a shame.
Jim | |
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Reviews:
 ·Frontier Communi..
2 edits | Internet % growth is impressive for both HSI and CDV. Would like to see specific markets, but is easy bet that Comcast using its speed advantage, where it competes with slow speed telcos.
The growth in digital cable(vs. basic cable) has much to do with the ongoing transition to digital.
All the above growth, under current economic conditions, is a positive for Comcast. | |
| |  jeffro
join:2007-04-20
Bay City, MI | Re: Internet % growth is I gotta give them credit for upgrading almost their entire footprint at this point to DOCSIS 3. My cable company isn't even close. | |
| | | | | Re: Internet % growth is Yeah, it's actually fairly fantastic. I think they're moving quickly past 80% and to 90% already. The nation's second biggest cable provider, Time Warner Cable, has deployed the upgrades to only parts of one market.... | |
| | | | Reviews:
 ·WOW Internet and..
| Re: Internet % growth is thats because TWC isn't centralized as Comcast. TWC could have their entire foot print the same if everyone was FORCED to do it. But you never know what TWC is doing from area to area. NEO could be working on D3 as far as we know and just now saying anything.
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| Re: Internet % growth is thats because TWC isn't centralized as Comcast. It's because Time Warner Cable is focusing on giving returns to investors, and it's because Time Warner Cable doesn't see nearly as much FiOS and U-Verse competition in its territory.
I forget the percentage of FiOS penetration in TWC markets, but it was low -- like single digit low.
That said, I know they're going to bang out a few markets in quick succession here in a month or so, including Buffalo and Albany, NY. | |
| | | | | | Reviews:
·WOW Internet and..
| Re: Internet % growth is but that is only what they're saying. again, you have no clue what other areas of the country are doing as far as upgrades. just because a "source" doesn't tell you, just bring up ROIs.
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|  RickPremium,MVM
join:2001-02-06
Waterbury, CT | Staggering.. especially in this economy...
"However, they added 410,000 digital video customers, 247,000 broadband customers, and 243,000 digital voice customers on the quarter."
Like so many other providers out there..this company does not make excuses. They execute and perform and get the job done.
We've seen them here on this site month after month simply doing things that other providers just won't do. Address the caps issue with very generous caps...double peoples speeds at no additional cost to them. And literally in about a years time transform this entire countries network into a docsis 3.0 one.
With no real competition even to prompt them to do this.
That is why this company deserves the success they're enjoying..and why they deserve kudos.
They're not making economic excuses. They're getting the job done and are a model for businesses everywhere I think.
Especially for a company this size to be able to change and adapt so quickly..that's really what is separating them from others.
Time Warner..what is WRONG with you? You need to look within and not rest on your past laurels to determine your companies and customers futures.
AT&T..(American tie you up and torture you)...what is WRONG with you? You need to look within..(particularly your executive ranks I think and throw them out)...and realize that you cannot rest on 60 year old infrastructure. And that is particularly true because you can AFFORD to change. But you won't.
People have SEEN your numbers..and now see the numbers of a company who WILL perform. Who WILL invest in the future.
And it's not hard to see why they're winning.
And don't ever think that it can't get worse for you. Because the nations # 3 phone company..can also become the nations # 2 phone company.
And the nations # 1 phone company.
Keep ignoring what is happening. Keep burying your head in your shareholders gotta eek out every dime profit sand...
And that is what is in store for you.
There is no longer any doubt about that whatsoever.
It is now the rise of the machines.
And that machine..is called Comcast.
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The Coyote captured the RR! Roadrunner Rick is now Comcastic! | |
| | | | Re: Staggering.. said by Rick:AT&T..(American tie you up and torture you)...what is WRONG with you? The first thing one needs to understand is the thing that calls itself "AT&T" these days is not really AT&T. It's SBC renamed is all.
said by Rick:You need to look within..(particularly your executive ranks I think and throw them out)...and realize that you cannot rest on 60 year old infrastructure. But they're sure going to try.
To give credit where it's due: I don't know about the rest of SBC's acquisitions, but they were a Godsend in the old Ameritech territory in at least this respect: The POTS service is a darn sight better than it was after the criminals that ran Ameritech got through neglecting it. And for that I'm thankful. When everything else dies (think: The Great Northeastern U.S. Blackout), good ol' POTS circuits kept on going.
So, SBC, at least you're better than Ameritech was.
But, other than that, well... I pretty much avoid doing business with SBC at every opportunity. Their decision to deploy DSL-on-steroids-with-IPTV ensured my new broadband connection would be with somebody else. I never in a million years ever thought I'd wish I was in Verizon territory, but SBC managed it.
said by Rick:Keep ignoring what is happening. Keep burying your head in your shareholders gotta eek out every dime profit sand... This behaviour is by no means unique to SBC. Plenty of U.S. businesses, too many, operate in the same ways. Rather than "How can we do the best job economically?" it's "How can we do the cheapest job possible and get away with it?" Rather than long-term planning, it's more CYA for the foreseeable future (and they don't see very far).
It is a shame that those of us with the bad fortune to be in SBC-only territory are served by a TelCom company that apparently engages in such thinking. But, in many places, at least there are alternatives. (If Bright House ever gets their fiber up the rest of the street my company's on, that'll be at least one less need of SBC we'll have. Maybe more.) Btw: I used to like the old Michigan Bell Telephone Company. Pre-Ameritech it was a damn good company. And AT&T, the real AT&T, was good to deal with, too.
Jim | |
| |  N3OGHYo Soy Col. "Bat" GuanoPremium
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs
kudos:1 | No kidding, Comcast is so big, it has orbit.
Kinda like Peter Griffin....
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Petty people are disproportionally corrupted by petty power | |
|
 n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY
·Optimum Online
| Yet Another "Too Big To Fail" Company I guess when the smoke clears, Comcast will join the ranks of "Too Big To Fail". That way, when the eventually get into trouble for gobbling up so much, we the taxpayers will be standing by to ply them with money.
Comcast needs to be broken up before it becomes a danger to the industry as a whole.
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I support the right to keep and arm bears. | |
| |  DaveDudeNo Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey
kudos:1 | Re: Yet Another "Too Big To Fail" Company ahh, people can live without TV. Then can we break up ATT, Verizon ,etc. Because they are already much bigger. | |
| | |  Simba7I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT
1 edit | Re: Yet Another "Too Big To Fail" Company said by DaveDude:ahh, people can live without TV. Then can we break up ATT, Verizon ,etc. Because they are already much bigger. I think at&t learned from their dismantling in 1984. They just have to be more careful and assign more lobbyists.
As for Verizon, if they woof down any more wireless providers, I'd be glad to see them broken apart. It ticked me off when they took over Alltel in some parts and at&t took over the rest.
Of course, these companies will only get bigger and bigger.
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Bresnan 15M/1M|MyWS[P4HT@4.01GHz,2GB RAM,2x1TB HDDs,Win7]|WifeWS[P4@2.4GHz,1GB RAM,60GB HDD,Win7]|Router[2xP3@1GHz,640MB RAM,18GB HDD,Allied Telesyn AT-2560FX,Kingston KNE100TX,2xDigital DE504,Compaq NC3131,iPro/1000DP,Blitz BWI715,Gentoo Linux] | |
| | | | | said by DaveDude:ahh, people can live without TV. Then can we break up ATT, Verizon ,etc. Because they are already much bigger. Yeah but broadband is a key component in today's economy.
For example, today the NJ MVC website was down, and I was like a fish out of water looking for info to renew my driver license.
It's dangerous to have one company control the internet, and with Comcast becoming a large phone company that is dangerous too. | |
| | | |  CylonRedPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | Re: Yet Another "Too Big To Fail" Company "For example, today the NJ MVC website was down, and I was like a fish out of water looking for info to renew my driver license."
Why? A phone call could have provided that info. In Ohio - the renewal notice gives all of the info needed for every possible way to renew.
There are ways to find the info quickly - the internet is not the end all be all to find this info. You just have to be willing to break the bonds of the internet.
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Brian
"It drops into your stomach like a Abrams's tank.... driven by Rosanne Barr..." A. Bourdain | |
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|  RobIn Deo speramus, God Bless the USAPremium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
kudos:2 | said by n2jtx:I guess when the smoke clears, Comcast will join the ranks of "Too Big To Fail". That way, when the eventually get into trouble for gobbling up so much, we the taxpayers will be standing by to ply them with money. Comcast needs to be broken up before it becomes a danger to the industry as a whole. Comcast will ever fail. We have nothing to worry about. Their financials are strong. In fact, if AIG and the banks ran their companies like Comcast does, we wouldn't have the problems have today.
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| |  Romney2012Defeat Obama 2012-Chg we can believe inPremium
join:2002-03-03
USA
kudos:4 | I wouldn't worry about Comcast and the "too big to fail" issue. Comcast is an MSO(Multi-system Operator) and is already run as a bunch of smaller subsidiary regions. It would be much easier to break-up and be run as a bunch of smaller companies if the need ever arose. | |
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MTUPremium
join:2005-02-15
San Luis Obispo, CA | Future I look forward to Comcast further shoving it's growing, massive, unrestricted, hook into 'government', since Comcast is now a 'person'. | |
| bac522
join:2003-08-04
Manchester, NH | Crushing competition is never good! This really is not good for the industry as a whole, and I have to say a little troubling for the country...does anyone else see a similarity between the James Bond file "Tomorrow Never Dies"?? Elliot Carver even could pass as the CEO of Comcast! | |
| Flycat
join:2003-05-12
Lawrence, MA Reviews:
 ·Verizon FiOS
| It all makes sense now It's called: Evolution! | |
|  VanPremium
join:2009-07-08
New Orleans, LA | I give Comcast credit that in the year that I had them, I was impressed with its speed and reliability for the most part
Heard horror stories but it performed just fine for me.
Got a good 20mb speed that I was paying for | |
|  camaro92Question everythingPremium
join:2008-04-05
Westfield, MA
·Comcast
| And as big as they are.... I am still waiting for networked dvr's docis 3.0 is great but i think most people realize that this upgrade was mandatory to stay competitive or at least bragging rights.The other isp's that aren't going as quick with deployment probably are in markets with either them as a provider or maby dsl,when you get as big as comcast and you are in markets with many choices it only makes sense to tear through your footprint and upgrade.But back to the dvr's i mean the sat guys have it and are moto boxes are very capable of it, just asking for a little love with the price they charge for the dvr service to help with those big earnings. | |
| decifal
join:2007-03-10
Bon Aqua, TN
kudos:1 | service At least the areas they provide service to is being upgraded.. Can't say the same for the bells and their constant expense excuse... | |
| rob316
join:2005-10-17
Carteret, NJ | Comcast has come a long way. As a former Comcast basher, I have to say they really have improved their services. From having the Comcast forum here on DSLREPORTS(Comcast Steve kicks butt by the way) to upgrading their network infrastructure they have come a long way from 5 years ago. I have the Ultra Tier and Digital Voce and they have been rock solid. I don't care how big they become as long as I get quality service for a reasonable price I will be happy. | |
| | | Comcast I have to give credit where credit is do. I realize some people have spotty service with Comcast but in my travels to multiple states and areas over the past 5 years I can say Comcast has really shocked me by being the biggest consumer broadband carrier on the block and still on its own pushing to upgrade constantly. I'm really loving the service and can't really complain after previous @Home and AT&T BI serviced cable in past years.
They lead most in upload speeds which is a huge plus for Cable. On the lowest tier I get 2MBps download and 275KBps upload constant not like the old days where it varied all the time. I guess I am lucky but I have no reason for more speed right now besides upload could always be faster . Thanks to user generated content I am liking Comcasts idea of moving up to 4Mbps for there low tiers. | |
| | | Phone lines Qwest still has more phone lines: about 10 million compared to Comcast's 7.6 million. That makes Comcast the fourth largest phone company. They might be third largest if you only count residential lines. | |
| | | Who gives a shit about DOCSIS 3.0? DOCSIS 3.0 is worthless with those 250 GB caps. Does Comcast still have those ridiculous caps?
I'll stick with slower DOCSIS 2.0 Time Warner Cable if it means I can continue to transfer terabytes of information in a month. Good luck pulling that off with Comcap. | |
| |  BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | Re: Who gives a shit about DOCSIS 3.0? said by 45612019:DOCSIS 3.0 is worthless with those 250 GB caps. Does Comcast still have those ridiculous caps? I'll stick with slower DOCSIS 2.0 Time Warner Cable if it means I can continue to transfer terabytes of information in a month. Good luck pulling that off with Comcap. Well considering the TW and Comcast don't compete in the same market you don't have chocie anyways now do you.
Secondly if you are transfering terrabytes of data then I'm 100% sure most of it is illegal downloading.
Third you do realize that TW wants to have caps from between 5 GB and 40 GB a month. If you think they are abandoning those plans then you're a fool. | |
| | | | | Re: Who gives a shit about DOCSIS 3.0? said by BF69:said by 45612019:DOCSIS 3.0 is worthless with those 250 GB caps. Does Comcast still have those ridiculous caps? I'll stick with slower DOCSIS 2.0 Time Warner Cable if it means I can continue to transfer terabytes of information in a month. Good luck pulling that off with Comcap. Well considering the TW and Comcast don't compete in the same market you don't have chocie anyways now do you. Secondly if you are transfering terrabytes of data then I'm 100% sure most of it is illegal downloading. Third you do realize that TW wants to have caps from between 5 GB and 40 GB a month. If you think they are abandoning those plans then you're a fool. Comcast has caps now. TWC has abandoned the idea. It's irrelevant what TWC may or may not do down the road, in the present, they're an obviously superior option to Comcast.
It is also irrelevant what I am downloading - it's my pipe and I will use it as I see fit. | |
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| Reviews:
·Comcast
| said by 45612019:DOCSIS 3.0 is worthless with those 250 GB caps. Does Comcast still have those ridiculous caps? I'll stick with slower DOCSIS 2.0 Time Warner Cable if it means I can continue to transfer terabytes of information in a month. Good luck pulling that off with Comcap. I hope you enjoy that Per bite charge that they are trying to do.. I'll take the 250 cap any day . THANKS Comcast. | |
| | | | Yes they still have those secretive 250GB caps that they don't advertise, but around here they have stopped advertising "unlimited" as well.
I have constantly gone over month after month 250GB just to see if anything would happen over the past year and most of it is just random stuff. I know I have gone 300-400GB many months in a row and haven't received so much as a phone call or letter in the mail. Most people I have seen elsewhere are using 400GB+ a month which even for me is ridiculous.
I now average around 100GB or so. But that is across a whole network including gaming machines, streaming video, other stuff  and what have you. I tried to get Comcast angry and 400GB a month just didn't seem to do it. | |
| | |  CajunTekInsane CajunPremium,MVM
join:2003-08-08
Arlington, TX
·RoadRunner Cable
| Re: Who gives a shit about DOCSIS 3.0? said by Stevex64 :Yes they still have those secretive 250GB caps that they don't advertise, but around here they have stopped advertising "unlimited" as well. I have constantly gone over month after month 250GB just to see if anything would happen over the past year and most of it is just random stuff. I know I have gone 300-400GB many months in a row and haven't received so much as a phone call or letter in the mail. Most people I have seen elsewhere are using 400GB+ a month which even for me is ridiculous. I now average around 100GB or so. But that is across a whole network including gaming machines, streaming video, other stuff and what have you. I tried to get Comcast angry and 400GB a month just didn't seem to do it. There is nothing secretive about those caps.. They've publicized it, made an online meter (not available everywhere yet), etc.. As someone earlier said better than the low caps that TW is considering and the charges for overages on those.. I'd trade TW for Comcast in a NY second..
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da Cajun Darn I hate Malware | |
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