With a new Comcast Business Gateway, featuring Wi-Fi 6, Comcast is aiming to add more momentum to its push into the lucrative SMB market.
The new Comcast Business next generation gateway is built on the Wi-Fi 6 technology from the operator’s xFi advanced gateway platform, offering gigabit speed performance.
“Connectivity is the backbone of business, and as the speed of business accelerates, our customers demand a high-performance technology that can be their workhorse – and their racehorse,” said Christian Nascimento, vice president, Product Management & Strategy at Comcast Business in a press release.
Other technology features for the business gateway include:
- 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands and Gig over Wi-Fi to connect up to 150 devices
- Built-in SecurityEdge (subscription required) which protects all connected devices at the gateway level from malware and other cybersecurity threats
- Multiple voice ports, a built-in Ethernet switch with two multi-gig ports
- Eight-hour battery backup for Comcast Business Voice service
The SMB market is highly competitive, with the cable industry making significant inroads there over the past decade. Like most national cable operators, Comcast has been aggressive, both with organic growth and acquisition.
The company’s acquisition of managed service provider Masergy in 2021 added over 1,400 business customers in nearly 100 countries, with a mix of business-grade and cloud-based services. The company also expanded its business offerings to include Comcast Business Mobile last year.
Comcast Global Technology Platform
The new Comcast Business Gateway was incubated in Comcast’s global technology platform, which the operator defines as the technology engine behind its entertainment and connectivity products. The company reports that nearly 1 billion devices have connected to Comcast Wi-Fi in the past 6 months.
Comcast has its own hardware and software engineers working on the platform, and the company increasingly introduces its own hardware and software products. The X1 software platform is one example. The operator also recently introduced its own TV platform, XClass TV.
