Comcast strives to increase broadband subscriber growth after a successful first fiscal quarter this year, despite facing a growing number of challenges. Comcast emerged from the first quarter with an additional 3,000 new broadband subscribers.
While that doesn’t sound like a lot, considering the number of options consumers have in choosing how they access their favorite shows, Comcast held steady and is looking to expand into new markets. This could prove challenging, as the second quarter typically shows a decline in subscribers resulting from summer breaks in school and travel plans.
At the J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Medis, and Communications Conference earlier this week, Comcast’s President and CEO Dave Watson said he “believes strongly that we will grow customers over time. Competeivitly, we’re in good shape.”
Sources report Comcast is planning to compete in a $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program in an attempt to grow its footprint expansion. Comcast is aiming to add an additional 1 million passings this year and came close to doing so last year.
The company faces some stiff competition as FTTP and FWA become more available, but Comcast is aiming to upgrade its HFC network to remain a contender. Before the year ends, it hopes to make the newly improved HFC network available to over 50 million members. So far, Comcast has added over 10 million subscribers spanning 40 markets with the upgraded DOCSIS 4.0, more than anticipated by the company’s original schedule.
Comcast is meeting consumers’ needs by focusing more on the higher end of broadband capabilities. It is already improving download speeds at 2 Gbit per second and FTTP speeds averaging 6 Gbit per second. Though this is an important area to focus on, Comcast is also rolling out a more budget-friendly standalone home broadband promotion offering 200 Mbit per second for only $25 per month.
As the company continues to drive up subscription numbers, it’s also testing out other possible spectrum opportunities though no plans are set yet as to when or what will be available next.