FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Livermore, CA (September 16, 2009) – Comcast Corporation, (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK), the nation’s leading provider of entertainment, information and communications, today announced it will launch Comcast Digital Voice® in the city of Colusa, California on September 22nd. Comcast Digital Voice offers customers digital-quality phone service with unlimited direct-dial local and domestic long-distance calling (including Canada, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico), Web access to voice mail, E911 service, and 12 of the most popular calling features.
“Comcast is excited to offer the residents of Colusa the reliable and innovative voice services they want, with Comcast Digital Voice,” said DeeDee Brady, General Manager for Comcast’s North Valley Area. “Our privately managed network serves as a strong foundation for the voice, television and high-speed Internet products of today and tomorrow, and will completely coordinate the home entertainment and communication experience, all on one integrated bill.”
Comcast has already launched Comcast Digital Voice throughout its remaining California communities, including San Francisco, Sacramento, Chico, Fresno, Marysville/Yuba City, Merced, Modesto, Santa Maria, Stockton and Visalia.
Comcast Digital Voice answers the call for a reliable phone service. Comcast Digital Voice is a less-expensive, fully featured alternative for traditional phone service with online call management, Web access to voicemail, and only one bill for all Comcast services. That is why Comcast guarantees that Comcast Digital Voice customers will be satisfied, or receive a refund for the first 30 days of service.
Comcast Digital Voice is designed to be easy for the consumer. Comcast technicians will professionally install Comcast Digital Voice in the home – using the jacks and existing wiring in the home. Customers can keep their current phone numbers and make and receive an unlimited amount of direct-dial local and domestic long-distance calls for the low price of $39.95 per month. Comcast also offers very competitive international rates, including unlimited calling to Canada.
Comcast stresses quality and reliability. Unlike traditional Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) offerings that run on the public Internet, Comcast Digital Voice calls originate and travel over Comcast’s advanced, proprietary managed network. Furthermore, if power goes out in the home, Comcast customers can rest assured knowing Comcast Digital Voice is equipped with up to five hours of battery back-up.
Comcast Digital Voice addresses 911 concerns. Comcast has access to the network, systems and capabilities to handle 911/E911 calls the way that traditional phone companies do, ensuring that calls, location information and telephone numbers are transmitted to the correct local emergency responders. Comcast Digital Voice is also compatible with the majority of major home alarm systems, including industry-leaders ADT and Brink’s.
Comcast Digital Voice also brings the world to Comcast customers’ fingertips. Comcast has introduced a new International calling plan, Carefree Minutes™ Worldwide 300, providing even more competitive rates to some of the most popular calling destinations around the globe. Carefree Minutes™ Worldwide 300 offers 300 anytime minutes to 100 countries for $14.95 per month. In addition, Comcast offers a variety of regional Carefree Minutes™ calling plans, which offer customers flat rates for calls made to more than 30 countries around the world.
In addition to low-cost international calling plans, Comcast Digital Voice customers can benefit from a number of upcoming major enhancements, which will be integrated with Comcast’s video and high-speed Internet services, including:
- Universal Caller ID – Comcast Triple Play customers can view incoming caller information on their TV or PC while watching a movie or surfing the Web.
- SmartZone™ Communications Center – this online application brings simplicity and convenience to customers by enabling them to manage email, voice mail and their universal address book all in one place.
For more information about Comcast Digital Voice visit www.comcast.com/comcastdigitalvoice/ and for more information about Comcast Carefree Minutes™ Worldwide 300, visit http://www.comcast.com/internationalcalling/
Comcast Digital Voice is currently available in more than 60 markets nationwide (including San Francisco/Bay Area, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Denver, Washington, D.C, Baltimore, Detroit, Portland, Salt Lake City and Indianapolis), reaching more than 47.4 million homes. Comcast is the 3rd largest phone service provider in the United States, with more than 7 million phone customers and 11 years of experience in the phone business.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is the nation's leading provider of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 23.9 million cable customers, 15.3 million high-speed Internet customers, and 7.0 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.
Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, ten sports networks operated by Comcast Sports Group and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's Internet businesses, including Comcast.net (www.comcast.net). Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team and the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team.
Comcast’s California Region, based in Livermore, California, serves more than 2.4 million customers in Northern and Central California. Comcast employs more than 7,500 local residents across the region.
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*Editor’s Note: 12 most popular calling features include 3-way calling, anonymous call rejection, call forwarding, call return, call screening, call waiting, caller ID, caller ID blocking, caller ID with call waiting, repeat dialing, speed dial and enhanced voicemail.
Fact Sheet
Comcast Digital Voice™
Top Ten Things You Should Know About Comcast Digital Voice
1. Comcast Digital Voice uses Internet Protocol and not the Internet. Comcast Digital Voice calls travel on our private, managed network—not over the public Internet. That makes it superior to other ‘Best Effort’ services delivering phone traffic over the public Internet.
2. Comcast Digital Voice offers digital quality phone service with all of the features that customers expect from their phone service, plus enhancements like the ability to check voice mail online.
3. Comcast Digital Voice gives customers 12 of the top calling features, including: Caller ID; Call Waiting; Call Forwarding; Repeat Dialing and Speed Dialing.
4. Comcast Digital Voice offers E911 capability. Customers’ 911 calls are routed to public safety answering points (“PSAPs”) along with Automatic Location Information (“ALI”) identifying the caller’s location.
5. Comcast Digital Voice currently provides battery backup in the Multimedia Terminal Adapters (MTAs). The MTA will provide several hours of backup power to keep Comcast Digital Voice working when a customer loses power in their home.
6. Trained, professional Comcast technicians perform the whole standard installation for customers, and once set up, all of the telephone jacks in the home will work with Comcast Digital Voice – not just one phone next to the modem as with some voice over the Net providers.
7. Comcast Digital Voice provides customers with the ability to listen to and manage their home voice mail messages from anywhere. All they need is access to a computer connected to the Internet. They will also be able to view their Comcast Digital Voice billing information online.*
8. Comcast Digital Voice works with most home alarm systems using tone dialing and standard data communications protocols.
9. Comcast Digital Voice customers receive a single bill for all of their services, including Comcast Cable and Comcast High-Speed Internet services.
10. Customers can switch to Comcast Digital Voice and keep the same phone number and use their existing touchtone phone. If customers intend on keeping their current phone number, Comcast will handle the transition from their current service provider for them.
