Comcast is taking their new 305 Mbps broadband tier live in several Northeastern markets to take on a similar offer, Quantum, from Verizon. Comcast is upping the competitive ante by pairing the new Extreme 305 offer with what they claim is the “…fastest in-home WiFi with its latest Xfinity Wireless Gateway.”
“The second generation of this all-in-one device gives today’s digital families everything they need to connect all their devices simultaneously to the fastest in-home WiFi network,” says Comcast in a press release. Comcast says independent testing of their WiFi gateway confirmed average wireless bandwidth speeds of 155 Mbps. The gateway includes a wireless router, cable modem and voice adapter into an all-in-one device.
The new tier, Comcast’s fastest, is priced at $300, according to DSLReports.com, and includes an upload speed of 65 Mbps. Comcast will initially offer Extreme 305 in markets that largely mirror Verizon FiOS markets in the Northeast, including Boston, Hartford, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Wilmington, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Richmond, and New Jersey. Extreme 305 also includes Xfinity Signature Support, normally sold for $19.95/month, which offers 24/7 tech support, a dedicated Premier Care team to support sales and billing needs, and an Internet security suite.
Comcast’s approach of emphasizing faster WiFi makes sense, given its role in the digital home. But will it be enough to move the needle for this ultra-fast and ultra-expensive broadband offer?
