Comcast 2009 Annual Report Download - page 8

Table of Contents
3
Comcast 2009 Annual Report on Form 10-
K
Cable Services
We offer a variety of services over our cable systems,
including video, high-speed Internet and phone services. We
market our cable services individually and in packages.
Substantially all of our customers are residential customers.
We have traditionally offered our video services to
restaurants and hotels, and we are now also offering our
cable services to small and medium-sized businesses
(“commercial services”). Subscription rates and related
charges vary according to the service selected and the type
of equipment the customer uses, and customers typically pay
us on a monthly basis. Residential customers may generally
discontinue service at any time, while commercial customers
may only discontinue service in accordance with the terms of
their respective contracts, which typically have one to three
year terms.
We are focusing our technology initiatives on extending the
capacity and efficiency of our networks, increasing the
capacity and functionality of advanced set-top boxes,
developing and integrating cross-service features and
functionality, and developing interactive Internet protocol-
based services.
Video Services
Our video service offerings range from a limited analog
service to a full digital service, as well as advanced services,
which consist of high
-definition television (“HDTV”) and/or
digital video recorders (“DVR”). We tailor our video services
for each cable system serving a particular geographic area
according to applicable local and federal regulatory
requirements, programming preferences and demographics.
Our analog video services range from a limited basic service
with access to between 20 and 30 channels of programming
to an expanded basic service with access to between 60 and
80 channels of programming. Our digital video services range
from a digital starter service with access to between 40 and
50 channels to a full digital service with access to over 250
channels. Our video services generally include programming
provided by national and local broadcast networks, national
and regional cable networks, as well as governmental and
public access programming. Our digital video services
generally include access to over 40 music channels, our On
Demand service and an interactive, on-screen program
guide. We also offer some packages with extensive amounts
of Spanish-language programming, as well as specialty tiers
with sports, family or international themes.
Our video customers may also subscribe to premium channel
programming. Premium channels include cable networks
such as HBO, Showtime, Starz and Cinemax, which
generally offer, without commercial interruption, movies,
original programming, live and taped sporting events,
concerts and other special features.
Our On Demand service provides our digital video customers
the opportunity to choose from a selection of more than
17,000
standard-definition and high-definition programming choices
over the course of a month; start the programs at whatever
time is convenient; and pause, rewind and fast-forward the
programs. The majority of our On Demand content is
available to our digital video customers at no additional
charge. Digital video customers subscribing to a premium
channel generally have access to the premium channel’s On
Demand content without additional fees. We also offer a fee-
based On Demand service that provides our video customers
the opportunity to order individual new release and library
movies and special-event programs, such as professional
boxing, professional wrestling and concerts. We are
continuing to expand the number of On Demand choices,
including HDTV programming choices.
Our HDTV service provides our video customers with
improved, high-resolution picture quality, improved audio
quality and a wide-screen format. Our HDTV service offers
our digital video customers a broad selection of high-
definition programming choices, including most major
broadcast networks, leading national cable networks,
premium channels and regional sports networks. In addition,
our On Demand service provides over 2,600 HDTV
programming choices over the course of a month. Our DVR
service lets digital video customers select, record and store
programs and play them at whatever time is convenient. Our
DVR service also provides the ability to pause and rewind
“live” television. During 2009, we began to offer certain cable
network programming online to customers of both our video
and high-speed Internet services through Fancast XFINITY
TV.
High-Speed Internet Services
We offer high-speed Internet services with Internet access at
downstream speeds of up to 50 Mbps, depending on the
service selected and subject to geographic market
availability. These services also include our interactive portal,
Comcast.net, which provides multiple e-mail addresses and
online storage, as well as a variety of content and value-
added features and enhancements that are designed to take
advantage of the speed of the Internet services we provide.
Our commercial high-speed Internet service also includes a
website hosting service and an online tool that allows
customers to share, coordinate and store documents.
Phone Services
We offer a Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) digital phone
service that provides either usage-based or unlimited local
and domestic long-distance calling, including features such
as voice mail, caller ID and call waiting. We phased out
substantially all of our circuit-switched phone service in 2008.
Our commercial phone service also includes a business
directory listing and the option to add multiple phone lines.
Advertising
As part of our programming license agreements with
programming networks, we often receive an allocation of
scheduled advertising