Comcast Reaches One Million Digital Voice Customers

By Johanne Torres

TMCnet Contributing Editor

 

Cable operator Comcast announced today that it has reached the one million customer mark for its Comcast (News - Alert) Digital Voice service in less than two years. The sudden upward spike in customer numbers might have resulted from Comcast's recent ad campaign rollout of a $33 per product first-year bundle of phone, high-speed and video services.

 

The cable operator also announced its plans to add more than 4,000 jobs nationwide this year, a considerable increase from its previously announced plans of 3,000 new customer-facing positions. The move will aid Comcast with its triple-play marketing objectives.

 

The 4,000 new employees will join Comcast's current 66,000-member cable division workforce in helping connect customers to Comcast Digital Voice and other cable, entertainment and communications products and services. The new jobs include 3,000 front-line technicians and 1,000 customer care reps who will install, maintain and provide support for the company's services, as well as management-level and sales positions. As a result of its commitment to employees, Comcast is regularly recognized by local publications as a top employer, receiving 25 awards for being a "Best Employer" in states and cities around the country.

 

"Comcast Digital Voice and the triple-play bundle continue to exceed our expectations. Customers are attracted to the convenience of the service and the value of the $33x3 offer," said Comcast's chief operating officer Steve Burke in a statement. "We're increasing our job growth projections this year to meet the accelerating customer demand for the bundle and our Comcast Digital Voice service."

 

Comcast first introduced its Internet telephony service last year. The company wanted to target residential customers with what seemed to be the priciest of all VoIP-enabled calling service plans.

 

The cable operator launched the plan at $39.95 per month for unlimited domestic service to current customers of its video products, and a whopping $54.95 monthly for new customers. Most VoIP calling plans available to residential customers today average about $29.95 per month.

 

The company had the goal of offering the service to a group of about 20 million customers by the end of 2005. Comcast believes it could sign up at least 8 million customers in the next 5 years.

 

If you are looking to learn everything there is to know about VoIP and other IP-based services, the INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & Expo, WEST is just the event you won't want to miss. The event is the number one VoIP conference in terms of attendance; the leading VoIP Expo for exhibitors in terms of lead generation; and the VoIP industry event which features special attractions for service providers and resellers. The event runs October 10-13, 2006 in San Diego.

 

Comcast Corporation

 

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Johanne Torres is contributing editor for TMCnet and INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine. To see more articles by Johanne Torres, please visit her columnist page.