Comcast is betting that VoIP phones, which it describes as digital phone service is going to become its next profitable business venture. The company promises to be in 20 markets by end of 2005, and offer this service in all of its markets by 2006, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts told shareholders at the annual shareholder meeting in Philadelphia. The company hopes to get 8 million fresh phone subscribers by the end of the decade, a 20% penetration rate. Now that’s not good news for the phone companies. This is in addition to 1.2 million old phone subscribers the company hopes to bring online to its digital phone (voip) service. He also pointed out that the Internet business has kept growing because the company has been aggressive in speed enhancements and adding more features. These comments came at a time when shareholders were agitating to get Roberts booted out.
via The Washington Post
No wonder the Bells want to get IPTV moving. They have to put together a phone/net/HDTV combo deal just to compete over the long haul.
Robert’s isn’t going anywhere, but Comcast will add VoIP users.
They do have a problem though. Much of their plant via AT&T is the old TCI properties. They have spent a lot of time over the past year or two just trying to figure out what’s in the network in the way of equipment and having to update much of it.
While they want to sell triple play, they also want to make sure what the sell is the same everywhere, and that slow down the idea of a ramp up.
If Comcast wants to get — and KEEP — the VoIP market, they are going to have to do something about their atrocious customer service. There are entire websites devoted to airing complaints about this company, which should tell you something. So they may get the first of the VoIP market, but in all likelihood, they won’t be able to keep it once their competitors catch up.