Comcast Begins Rollout of Extreme 50 Mbps High-Speed Internet Service

Plans to Reach More Than 10 Major Markets and Nearly 10 Million Homes and Businesses in the Next Several Months

Two New, Faster Speed Tiers Introduced and Speeds Doubled for Most Existing Customers

Comcast, the nation’s leading provider of entertainment, information and communications products and services, today announced it is making the leap from broadband to wideband with the launch of next-generation DOCSIS 3.0. With wideband, Comcast will introduce a brand new echelon of Internet speed tiers, which will redefine the customer experience online and create a platform for Internet innovation in the years ahead.

In the next few weeks, Comcast’s new services will be available to millions of residential homes and businesses in parts of New England, including the Boston Metropolitan region and Southern New Hampshire, as well as areas of Philadelphia and New Jersey. These services also will be available in the Twin Cities where wideband was launched earlier this year. Comcast plans to continue to roll out wideband across its footprint and expects to reach more than 10 major markets and pass nearly 10 million homes and businesses in the next several months.

With wideband, Comcast will offer among the fastest speeds available today, including the Extreme 50 tier at up to 50 Mbps. It also will enable Comcast to double speeds for the majority of existing high-speed Internet customers at no additional cost.

Comcast Partners with Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Dark Knight to Bring Exclusive Content to Batman Fans

Mini-movies and Behind-the-Scene Footage from the Blockbuster Film Available on Comcast On Demand, All in HD

Comcast Corporation, announced today a partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Dark Knight. This partnership provides Comcast customers with exclusive behind-the-scenes movie footage, mini-movies and trailers from one of this summer’s most-anticipated films, available on Comcast’s signature On Demand service.

Leading up to the film’s release, Comcast will launch six mini-movies, which are exclusive original-content episodes, of a show called “Gotham Tonight,” featuring the film’s actors providing commentary in character and in a news format that tell the story of what has occurred between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. In addition to the “Gotham Tonight” segments, customers can watch exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with the cast and filmmakers, and The Dark Knight trailers, all in HD. This exclusive content is available on Comcast On Demand, www.comcast.net/thedarkknightmovie and Fancast.com. The “Gotham Tonight” episodes also can be seen at www.Gothamcablenews.com.

Comcast’s Blast service - Doubling its Broadband Speed

Comcast has achieved its competitive edge by offering Blast, a new tier of broadband Internet service which allows for the 16 Mbps downloads. That’s nearly twice the speed of its own Performance Plus service which averages 10 megabits per second. Speeds for uploads are also increasing from 768 kilobits per second to 2 Mbps. AT&T plans to counter Comcast’s new service by offering its own service upgrade later this year.
Speeds up to 100 Mbps Planned in the Future

Comcast intends to further upgrade its broadband speed through a new standard called Docsis 3.0 which may deliver download speeds up to 100 Mbps by the end of the year. The technology may eventually allow for download speeds as high as 160 Mbps.

Ted Leonsis joins Bridgevine Board of Directors

TED LEONSIS JOINS BRIDGEVINE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

AOL Vice Chairman Emeritus, Internet visionary underscores value of new consumer web site for bundled services

ATLANTA, Georgia and VERO BEACH, Florida — February 27, 2008 — Bridgevine, Inc., the trusted source for consumers looking to conveniently compare and shop for the services that shape their lives, today announced the appointment of Ted Leonsis, AOL Vice Chairman Emeritus, to the Bridgevine board of directors. One of the nation’s most accomplished businessmen, Leonsis joins Bridgevine with a legendary background as an Internet visionary, new media entrepreneur, professional sports team owner, filmmaker and respected leader.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ted as Bridgevine’s newest board member,” said Vinny Olmstead, president and CEO of Bridgevine. “Clearly, Ted brings incredible insight and knowledge to our team. His support and interest in Bridgevine underscores our company’s innovative value proposition and reinforces our vision as we set out to transform the way consumers shop for a broad array of services efficiently and cost effectively.”

Leonsis joins the Bridgevine board of directors just as the company has launched its Internet site enabling consumers to compare and shop for the best deals on services. From HDTV and VoIP to digital entertainment and home security, Bridgevine.com lets consumers choose individual services that are best for them or create personalized bundles from trusted providers resulting in saved time and money. Bridgevine’s partner network includes trusted brand name providers such as Comcast, AT&T, D-Link, Time Warner, Verizon, DIRECTV, RealNetworks, Panasonic and GameFly.

“I am impressed with Bridgevine’s leadership team, its scope of partnerships and its underlying technology,” said Leonsis. “Undoubtedly, there is a need for simplification in evaluating and selecting the services that we all depend on in our lives. Bridgevine is delivering on its promise to help consumers save time and money as they choose services from trusted providers, and I look forward to lending my insight and direction as the company embarks upon its next stage of growth.”

During Leonsis’ 15-year career with AOL, the company enjoyed its greatest periods of growth and financial success. Leonsis now serves as vice chairman emeritus, having stepped down from day-to-day management at AOL in 2006.

Ted currently also serves as Chairman of Revolution Money (formerly GratisCard, Inc.), an innovative Web 2.0 payment platform and credit-card service, and Clearspring Technologies, the leading provider of cross-platform widget services. Earlier in his career, Leonsis was the founder of several new media companies including Redgate Communications Corporation, a pioneering new media company that was the first company acquired by AOL. Leonsis was the founder of six personal computer magazines, authored four books, and worked on the introduction of the IBM PC and the Apple Macintosh.

Ted is also the founder, chairman and majority owner of Lincoln Holdings LLC, a sports and entertainment company that holds ownership rights in several Washington, DC entities including 100 percent of the NHL's Washington Capitals and the WNBA's Washington Mystics. Lincoln Holdings also owns approximately 44 percent of Washington Sports and Entertainment Limited Partnership (WSELP), which owns the NBA's Washington Wizards, DC's Verizon Center and the Baltimore-Washington Ticketmaster franchise. In addition to Lincoln Holdings LLC, Ted also has investments and/or sits on the board of directors for several companies including: Agents LLC; Animal Attraction; Beacon Capital Strategies LLC; Bridgevine, Inc; Capitol Acquisition Corp.; Geneva Acquisition Corp.; GridPoint; Lunchbox Digital; Mahalo.com; Mobile Posse; Object Video; Podshow and Qloud.

A major philanthropist, Leonsis is very involved with numerous charities, including Best Buddies, Hoop Dreams, See Forever Foundation, Youth Aids and others through the work of the Leonsis Foundation. Among his many honors, Leonsis has been named Washington's Businessman of the Year, a Washingtonian of the Year, one of the 20 most influential people in sports, one of America's most creative executives and a top 10 entrepreneur of the year.

About Bridgevine
Founded in 2003, Bridgevine, Inc. is headquartered in Vero Beach, FL with an office in Atlanta, GA. The company’s consumer-facing website, Bridgevine.com, is a trusted source for consumers to learn about, compare and shop for the services that shape their lives. From communications to entertainment to security, Bridgevine.com lets consumers choose individual services that are best for them, or create personalized bundles from trusted providers resulting in saved time and money. Unlike other “comparison” shopping websites, Bridgevine’s powerful technology offers a unified shopping cart, real-time pricing, order status and scheduling to deliver the best customer experience in the industry. Bridgevine’s deep integration with leading service providers from across the country — including Comcast, AT&T, D-Link, Time Warner Cable, Verizon, DIRECTV, RealNetworks, Panasonic, GameFly and more — enables Bridgevine to deliver the most accurate information on services, pricing and special promotions, adding even more value to the bundled services shopping experience. The company’s proprietary ecommerce platform is licensed by leading retailers, websites and Fortune 500 companies, making it possible for them to monetize online, call center and in-store traffic. Bridgevine was ranked 57 on the prestigious 2007 Inc. 500 list of fastest growing private companies. For more information, please visit www.bridgevine.com.

New Service Lets MDU Residents Choose Digital and Bundled Service Providers

Broadband National’s new “MDU Module” enables property managers to provide unbiased information and access to Internet, television, digital phone, rental insurance, home security and more

Broadband National, Inc., the leading ecommerce platform promoting digital services and products, today announced a new application focused on the 20 percent of U.S. households that move annually. The new “MDU Module” is a turn-key application that allows owners and management companies of multi-dwelling units (MDUs) to offer residents a seamless process to order services that are typically required when moving into a new apartment or condominium. The company’s MDU Module will provide the millions of Americans living in apartments and other multiple dwelling units with access to the largest selection of services backed by an unbiased, unified comparison and ordering experience.

The announcement comes on the heels of a recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Report and Order which makes exclusive deals between network operators and the owners of MDUs illegal. The Broadband National offering addresses this new freedom of choice by enabling owners and managers of MDUs to provide their residents with unbiased information and access to a number of digital services including Internet, cable and satellite television, and digital telephone. Owners and managers will also have the flexibility to customize the module to offer additional services, such as renters’ insurance, security systems, appliance and furniture leases, grocery delivery services and more.

“The MDU Module was designed to help property owners and managers not only remain in compliance with the FCC ruling, but also to streamline their own operations while enabling their residents to conveniently choose the best available services in their area,” said Vinny Olmstead, president and CEO of Broadband National. “The offering truly enables MDU managers to become a trusted, one-stop resource for their residents by leveraging Broadband National’s insight and access to thousands of service options.”

Several top real estate management companies have already selected the Broadband National Module to deliver this new level of convenience to residents at properties across the country. The service is scheduled for general availability in Q1 2008. For more information, contact Mark Weibel at (772) 316-1007.

About Broadband National, Inc.

Broadband National is a leading online ecommerce platform that enables consumer and business users to research, compare, and purchase services such as high speed Internet, television, gaming, VoIP, photo sharing, videos, home security, and more on its proprietary IBIS software. Advertisers such as Comcast, AT&T, D-Link, Panasonic, and DIRECTV use the highly configurable and flexible platform to promote services in a convenient, customer-friendly format. The IBIS platform powers more than 1,000 websites and is also leased to many Fortune 500 companies enabling them to monetize online, call center, and in-store traffic. For more information please visit www.broadbandnational.com.

Comcast denies blocking file sharing

Comcast has denied widespread reports that it routinely blocks its customers from accessing file-sharing applications.

While it does use bandwidth management which can result in delays for those using peer-to-peer networks, it never blocks applications outright, the company contended. The Associated Press has reported that it carried out tests which found that Comcast does actually block certain applications such as BitTorrent.

Steve Bannerman, who works at the network intelligence company Narus, told Reuters: "US ISPs are not preventing anybody from getting to the applications, but they are preventing some users of P2P services from hogging all the bandwidth and slowing down the experience for other users." Many have seen the reported blocking of applications as a violation of net neutrality regulations.

BitTorrent is mainly seen as a way to download copyrighted songs and movies, however it is also used for other more legitimate applications.

ISP 'blocks internet traffic'

Customers of Comcast that use high speed internet could be having some of their activities blocked by the internet service provider (ISP) it has been reported.

Specifically file-sharing activities are sometimes interfered with, widespread reports have alleged. A test carried out by the Associated Press found that the reports were true. This violation of net neutrality regulations is presumably so those doing large amounts of file sharing are not gobbling up other users' bandwidth.

Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas told the Associated Press: "We have a responsibility to manage our network to ensure all our customers have the best broadband experience possible. "This means we use the latest technologies to manage our network to provide a quality experience for all Comcast subscribers." Among the activities that Comcast blocks is using BitTorrent, which is widely seen as a way to illegally download music and films. However, BitTorrent is also used for other more legitimate purposes.

FCC: Cable Must Carry Local Analog Signal for Three Years—and HD Forever

Late Tuesday the FCC ordered cable operators to provide HD signals of local broadcasters after the end of analog broadcasts in February 2009.

The unanimous commission also ordered that for three years after the analog shutoff, cable operators with analog subscribers would have to continue to provide analog signals by downconverting broadcasters’ DTV signals.

The commission did not go as far as requiring cablers to pass through every digital bit broadcasters provide.

Both NAB and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association praised the ruling, with NCTA calling the ruling the cable industry’s plan.

But not all NCTA members share that upbeat outlook. Comcast, for example, had told the FCC that forcing cable to carry both digital and analog channels would be “indefensible” and unconstitutional.

But NCTA President and CEO Kyle McSlarrow downplayed the dissent, saying that Comcast was a leader in aggressively asserting legal principles shared by the entire industry. Comcast Senior Director spokeswoman Sena Fitzmaurice declined to comment on the decision or whether Comcast would take it to court, saying only that the NCTA comments spoke for the company.

Small cable operators—those with less than 552 MHz capacity—got sympathy from some commissioners, but all they got in the order was a chance to apply for waivers to the new requirements. Democrat commissioner Jonathan Adelstein said the requirements could inhibit the rollout of other services, such as broadband Internet access, in smaller and rural communities. He also said the smaller systems should have received a blanket waiver instead of having to enlist Washington lawyers and apply for individual exemptions.

The American Cable Association said some of its members could shell out more then $150,000 in equipment to carry the multiple formats. The ruling will slow rural broadband rollout and, and some very small operators could be forced out of business, ACA said in a statement.

The order also calls for more comment on some carriage issues, including the specifics of how cable should handle or convert between 16:9 and 4:3 pictures, and how to further address the concerns of small cable operators.

Also late Tuesday, the commission ruled to extend, for another five years, the ban on exclusive programming contracts between cable operators and programmers with whom they are vertically integrated. The ban is designed to ensure that cable operators have access to programming owned by other cable companies or their owners. The commission gave a five-year extension to the ban in 2002 and will decide again in 2012 whether to let it sunset.

Comcast Self-Install VoIP Kits Launching within six months...

11:37AM Tuesday Sep 04 2007

Comcast is now offering self-install VoIP voice kits, and is testing self-install wireless phone VoIP kits in San Francisco, with launch expected in Boston, Denver and Philadelphia within six months. The switch should drastically reduce Comcast VoIP install costs, giving them a leg up in the triple-play battle with phone operators.

Verizon incurs $880 on average per customer to get TV installed. While Comcast added 671,000 VoIP customers last quarter, Verizon lost 723,000 landline customers while adding 167,000 TV customers. "Comcast tentatively plans to charge customers $250 for three cordless phones that link to their cable modems. The total time from opening the box to getting a dial tone is 30 minutes or less, Avgiris said. "It's for the customer who says, 'I want the service, and I want it now,'" said Avgiris."

Comcast VoIP is exploding -- the company added three million VoIP customers in just two years, quickly becoming the nation's largest VoIP operator.

The company has had to hire 12,000 people in the past year and a half to help manage VoIP demand, and will spend $450 million adding telephone customers in 2008.