Comcast Launches NOW to Offer Lower Streaming Costs

Comcast
(Image credit: Comcast)

PHILADELPHIA—As government subsidies for broadband services come to an end, Comcast has launched NOW, a new product portfolio of lower-cost Internet, mobile and streaming TV products that consumers can purchase month-to-month. 

The new product launches are also designed to help the cable operator better compete against 5G fixed wireless services that have been expanding their market share. 

As part of the launch,  it is now offering a NOW Internet prepaid service that Comcast provides more reliability than fixed wireless options for a better price and NOW Mobile, a new prepaid service that includes unlimited 5G data combined with access to more than 23 million WiFi hotspots. 

Initial customer trials for NOW Internet and Mobile have already begun in Hartford-New Haven, Houston, and Miami, with a full-scale national launch across all Comcast service areas expected in the coming weeks.

“Consumers have told us they want low-cost, easy-to-use connectivity and entertainment options that deliver the same reliability and consistency of our leading Xfinity services,” said Dave Watson, president and CEO of Connectivity and Platforms, Comcast. “With NOW, we’ve developed a new product construct from the ground up to be simple and easy for anybody who wants Internet, mobile or TV on their own terms without sacrificing quality. It rounds out our product offering to provide something for every consumer segment of the market and plays to our strengths in superior network capabilities, WiFi and streaming.”

NOW products offer all-in pricing, no contracts or credit checks. Customers can sign up, pause, or cancel online, anytime, Comcast said. 

In addition to NOW Internet and Mobile, Comcast is also offering NOW TV and NOW WiFi Pass to create a comprehensive portfolio of quality, low-cost products that consumers can purchase month-to-month.

NOW TV and WiFi Pass are available today, everywhere Comcast provides service.

NOW Internet customers will be able to choose between two prepaid options: 100 Mbps for $30/month, or 200 Mbps for $45/month. Each tier includes unlimited data and an Xfinity gateway.

NOW Mobile will provide unlimited 5G data, talk and text for $25/line and will be the only prepaid wireless option that seamlessly connects customers to more than 23 million Xfinity hotspots.

NOW TV is a streaming offering for Xfinity Internet customers that includes live and on-demand programming from 40+ networks, more than two dozen integrated FAST channels, and Peacock Premium, all for $20/month.

NOW WiFi Pass gives customers unlimited access to more than 23 million Xfinity WiFi hotspots for $20 for 30 days.

Comcast said that the NOW portfolio is designed to be particularly impactful for Americans looking for cost-effective connectivity. The federal government recently announced that April is the last full month of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) if it does not receive additional funding. NOW Internet and Mobile will provide customers enrolled in ACP with another option for affordable, reliable connectivity – supplementing Comcast’s longstanding low-income broadband adoption options Internet Essentials and Internet Essentials Plus, and Xfinity’s current suite of offerings.

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George Winslow

George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.