Comcast 2010 Annual Report Download - page 8

Table of Contents
Comcast 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K
4
generally include programming provided by national and local
broadcast networks and by 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
packages that include extensive amounts of foreign-language
programming, and we offer other specialty tiers of
programming with sports, family or international themes.
Our video customers may also subscribe to premium channel
programming. Premium channels include cable programming
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 up to 25,000
standard-definition and high-definition programming choices
in select markets over the course of a month; start the
programs at whatever time is convenient; and pause, rewind
and fast-forward the programs. A substantial portion 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. Our On Demand service also includes fee-
based selections that allow our video customers the
opportunity to order individual new release and library movies
and special-event programs, such as professional boxing,
mixed martial arts, wrestling and concerts. We plan to
continue expanding the number of On Demand choices,
including HDTV programming.
Our HDTV service provides improved high-resolution picture
quality, improved audio quality and a wide-screen format for
customers who use HD-capable TV sets. Our HDTV service
includes 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 HD video customers the opportunity to choose from
a selection of up to 6,000 HDTV programming choices in
select markets 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 2010, we began to offer select
programming in 3D format on the channels we distribute as
well as On Demand, which allows customers with 3D capable
TV sets and viewing glasses to view 3D programming.
During 2010, we also expanded our service capabilities so
our video customers can view content and program listings
and schedule and manage DVR recordings online or with
alternative devices, such as the iPad.
High-Speed Internet Services
We offer high-speed Internet services with Internet access at
downstream speeds of up to 105 Mbps, depending on the
service selected and subject to geographic market
availability. These services also include our Internet 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 high-speed Internet service for business customers also
includes a website hosting service and an online tool that
allows customers to share, coordinate and store documents.
Phone Services
We offer an interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol
(“VoIP”) phone service that provides either usage-based or
unlimited local and domestic long-distance calling and
includes features such as voice mail, caller ID and call
waiting. Our phone service for business customers 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 generally receive an allocation of
scheduled advertising time that we may sell to local, regional
and national advertisers. In most cases, the available
advertising time is sold by our sales force. In some cases, we
work with representation firms as an extension of our sales
force to sell a portion of the advertising time allocated to us.
We also coordinate the advertising sales efforts of other
cable operators in some markets, and in some markets we
operate advertising interconnects. These interconnects
establish a physical, direct link among multiple providers for
the sale of regional and national advertising across larger
geographic areas than could be provided by a single cable
operator. We are also beginning to deploy and are further
developing technology for interactive advertising.
Regional Sports and News Networks
Our regional sports and news networks include Comcast
SportsNet (Philadelphia), Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic
(Baltimore/Washington), Cable Sports Southeast, Comcast
SportsNet Chicago, MountainWest Sports Network, Comcast
SportsNet California (Sacramento), Comcast SportsNet New
England (Boston), Comcast SportsNet Northwest (Portland),
Comcast Sports Southwest (Houston), Comcast SportsNet
Bay Area (San Francisco), New England Cable News
(Boston), Comcast Network Philadelphia and Comcast
Network Mid-Atlantic (Baltimore/Washington). These
networks generate revenue from programming license
agreements with multichannel video providers and through
the sale of advertising. These networks were contributed to
NBCUniversal at the close of the NBCUniversal transaction
on January 28, 2011.