Company’s Metro Ethernet Services Provide Scalable Capacity to Meet Bandwidth-Intensive Needs of Neighborhood’s Internet Start-Ups
SEATTLE – June 6, 2011 – Comcast, one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services, today announced that it has submitted an application with the City of Seattle to provide broadband services to businesses located in the historic Pioneer Square neighborhood, utilizing the company’s next generation fiber optic network.
“Our fiber-rich network provides reliable, scalable capacity that will meet the bandwidth needs of the growing number of Internet startups in the neighborhood for many years to come,” said Len Rozek, Senior Vice President of Comcast’s Washington Region. “We are excited about the opportunity to not only help these businesses grow, but to help the city’s economy grow as well by offering Pioneer Square businesses access to Comcast’s industry leading IP network.”
The City of Seattle announced last month it was seeking proposals from qualified Internet service providers to lease excess capacity in city-owned conduit space in order to provide broadband services to businesses and property owners in Pioneer Square. The city must approve Comcast’s proposal before the company can begin connecting businesses to its fiber optic network utilizing the city-owned conduit space.
Comcast has long provided services to small and medium-sized businesses, but last year began offering Metro Ethernet services in Washington as part of an ongoing strategy to expand its portfolio of business services to meet the requirements of larger customers.
Targeted at mid-sized businesses with 20 – 500 employees, Comcast Metro Ethernet services are delivered using the company’s industry-leading fiber-based IP network. Comcast’s national network includes more than 147,000 miles of fiber optic cable and serves 20 of the nation’s 25 largest markets, including Seattle.
Unlike competitive carriers that simply resell the phone company’s network, Comcast is giving customers a true alternative network to maximize the performance and reliability of their business communications and applications. Comcast delivers bandwidth from 1 Mbps up to 10 Gbps that can be remotely scaled in increments of 1 Mbps, 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps, and offered with three different classes of service.
In addition to the larger Internet start-ups in the neighborhood, Rozek said the numerous small businesses and medium-sized businesses in the Pioneer Square area can benefit from Comcast’s broadband investment in the neighborhood.
“Small businesses have traditionally been an underserved community by larger phone companies,” Rozek said. “Our Comcast Business Class services are tailored to the small to mid-size business market with relevant products and services designed specifically to meet their needs.”
Comcast Business Class customers have access to a comprehensive business solution that includes Microsoft Communication Services, a world-class productivity suite that combines Windows® SharePoint and Microsoft Outlook email powered by Microsoft Exchange Server. In addition, the service includes Norton Business Suite™ software that protects up to 25 PCs from viruses and spyware plus firewall protection and 24/7 customer support.
For more information about the service, customers can call 1-800-391-3000 or visit http://business.comcast.com.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services. Comcast is principally involved in the operation of cable systems through Comcast Cable and in the development, production and distribution of entertainment, news, sports and other content for global audiences through NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is one of the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone providers to residential and business customers. Comcast is the majority owner and manager of NBCUniversal, which owns and operates entertainment and news cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, local television station groups, television production operations, a major motion picture company and theme parks.
For more information about Comcast in Washington State, visit www.comcastinwashingtonstate.com
