Comcast says faster speeds and greater access coming to WA, including rural areas

Comcast announced on Monday that it plans to invest $280 million this year to offer multi-gigabit Internet speeds to more than four million locations, expand broadband and video services to more than 60,000 additional homes and businesses, and provide donations and in-kind services to communities throughout Washington and Oregon .

Network Investment and Expansion

Comcast’s investment is said to significantly expand and evolve the availability of the Xfinity 10G Network across the Pacific Northwest in 2023. Once complete, these locations will have the network in place to introduce the new multi-gigabit Internet options. Comcast is expanding network improvements that will offer Washington customers upload speeds up to 10 times faster than the fastest they have now. And the network upgrade will extend throughout Comcast’s service area in Washington to every community, zip code, and neighborhood served by the network.

The first phase of network enhancements is happening now and initially will offer a maximum download speed of 2 Gbps, combined with upload speeds up to 200 Mbps, which is five to 10 times faster than Comcast’s existing upload speeds. Comcast expects that 40 percent of the company’s network in the Pacific Northwest will offer multi-gig Internet speeds by the end of 2023.

Comcast will also expand its network to deliver Xfinity Internet and TV services and Comcast Business Internet services to nearly 60,000 additional homes and businesses, including within rural communities.

“The network expansion is the latest example of Comcast’s investment to connect more households and businesses in the Pacific Northwest to its Internet services that deliver fast speeds, more reliability, broader coverage in the home, and greater capacity to support customers’ growing Internet usage. Comcast expanded service to 54,788 additional homes and businesses last year in Oregon and Washington. Further, the company has invested $1B in technology and infrastructure investments in Oregon and Washington during the previous three years, including network expansion and upgrades.”

Community Investment

The $280 million investment by Comcast this year will fund contributions, foundation grants, free Internet connectivity, employee volunteerism and giving campaigns, broadcast services, laptop donations, and more to make a positive impact in communities throughout Oregon and Washington. Throughout the year, the company will collaborate with non-profit partners, including Boys & Girls Clubs, Goodwill, Urban League, YWCA, and others to advance digital equity and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Pacific Northwest.

The funding will also support ongoing efforts to build awareness about connectivity programs like Internet Essentials and the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which offers eligible households up to $30/month credit, or up to $75 for households on tribal lands, for home Internet. Comcast participates in the Affordable Connectivity Program and offers Internet Essentials Plus, a $29.95/month home Internet service that is effectively free for eligible households, once the ACP credit is applied.

Interested customers can visit Xfinity.com/ACP or call 1-800-Xfinity to learn more about this program and determine if they qualify.

“The Washington State Broadband Office is pleased that Comcast is expanding its service to numerous locations in Washington that have previously been without needed broadband service. Not only is Comcast providing expanded access, but they are also partnering with non-profits to provide training and devices that assist people in using broadband services. The company’s investments and collaboration with community partners are essential to ensuring that broadband service is a reality for residents and businesses in Washington.”

“Our investment is helping to build a network of the future and get more rural communities in Oregon and Washington connected to the Internet,” said Rodrigo Lopez, Senior Regional Vice President of Comcast’s Pacific Northwest Region. “In addition to delivering the network of tomorrow and more broadband in more places, we are also investing to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities in the Pacific Northwest.”

For more information about Comcast in Washington, visit https://washington.comcast.com/.