Comcast, the largest U.S. cable operator, will introduce a wi-fi-based wireless service by the middle of next year, entering a market dominated by Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc.
The company’s current plans will involve a hybrid cellular and Wi-Fi service using Verizon’s network and the company’s millions of Wi-Fi hotspots, Chief Executive Officer Brian Roberts said at a conference Tuesday.
“There will be a big payback with reduced churn, more stickiness, better satisfaction,” Roberts said at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia conference in New York.
Comcast has been testing technology that would let customers switch between Wi-Fi hot spots and cellular networks without losing connectivity. Over the past several years, Comcast has been replacing its cable customers’ routers with new ones doubling as public Wi-Fi hotspots. To date, the company has installed about 15 million hot spots.
Featured Image: Associated Press
(c) 2016, Bloomberg ยท Gerry Smith
