Backend services vendor CSG has announced a five-year contract extension with Comcast to continue providing billing services across residential broadband, video, home and voice.

“Comcast has been a fantastic customer to CSG, and we cannot be more pleased with this extension,” said Brian Shepherd, executive VP and group president for Greenwood, Colorado-based CSG, in a statement.

“We are pleased with this extension, and we look forward to continuing to work with CSG as we deliver exceptional customer experiences,” added Rick Rioboli, chief Information officer for Comcast Cable.

The kind words come as CSG has steadily moved aside Amdocs as Comcast’s key billing vendor, taking on the residential piece starting in 2014. But the love wasn't always there. 

In a historical sense, however, these two companies are strange bedfellows, with CSG suing Comcast back in 2002. CSG was AT&T Broadband’s billing vendor back when it was acquired by Comcast, and CSG accused the cable company of leaking sensitive information to Wall Street in an effort to break up the relationship and not have to use the vendor.

Ultimately, Comcast challenged CSG’s relationship with AT&T Broadband and won a $120 million ruling from an arbitrator.

There are many “THINGS” that comprise the larger (and growing) Internet of Things market, but connected wearables, such as smart watches, are leading the consumer adoption curve, CSG found in a recent IoT-focused study.

Wearables are the most commonly used IoT device, with adoption at about 45%, CSG found in a poll of more than 2,000 adults in the U.S., United Kingdom, Australia and Canada.

CSG also found that 34% of consumers use digital assistants, a category that includes products such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home, and just under 23% of respondents use smart home devices.

About 10% of consumers surveyed said they don’t use any IoT devices.

But among those who have IoT as part of their lives said simplifying tasks in the home (40%) was a key benefit. Looking ahead, 20% of those surveyed said they believe that IoT will be viewed as “essential” to one’s lifestyle in five years.

Those results from CSG, a company known for providing digital and customer-care services to major telecommunications providers, emerge as IoT and smart home services become key growth drivers for cable operators in both the consumer and business services domains.

For example, IoT is a major underpinning for Xfinity Home, Comcast’s security and smart home platform/service that has tallied about 1 million subscribers.

Additionally, both Comcast, with machineQ, and Cox Communications, via Cox2M, have launched IoT services for the enterprise sector.

Alaska-based GCI has teamed with CSG to introduce an automated processing system that notifies subscribers of alleged copyright infringement complaints.  

CSG has partnered with Yaana, a provider of compliance solutions, on the copyright complaint system now in place at GCI that notifies and educates customers on alleged complaints and what measures they should take to rectify them.  

RELATED: TV's Scary New Threat 

CSG, which counts customers such as Charter Communications, Comcast, Dish Network, Telfonica, Telstra and Verizon, is an authorized reseller of several Yaana products, including legal compliance solutions.  

“As consumer appetite for digital content continues to grow, GCI is making sure that our subscribers can easily access the content they want, while also having the right processes in place to address subscribers who are repeat infringers,” Susannah Scholl, vice president of Information Technology at GCI, said in a statement. “The copyright complaint system will help us meet our compliance goals and free up valuable resources which we can devote to growing our business and satisfying our customers.” 

“The copyright complaint system is the latest step we have taken to help our clients better manage complex processes such as lawful compliance, subpoena search and data infringement requirements,” added Ian Watterson, head of Americas for CSG. “Local and national law enforcement communications requests are growing daily for service providers worldwide and CSG helps our clients respond to requests efficiently, securely and quickly.” 

Colorado-based billing and customer care company CSG has appointed Rolland (Rollie) Johns to executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Johns’s new role became effective on May 17. Johns, who reports to CSG president and CEO Bret Griess, had served as chief accounting officer at CSG since 2013. Before that, he spent nearly 20 years with KPMG.

Johns succeeds former CFO Randy Wiese, who is retiring but staying at CSG as a non-executive through the transition of his duties.

“Rollie brings a deep knowledge and expertise in global accounting, financial reporting and corporate development that will be integral in executing our initiatives to deliver long-term shareholder value,” Griess said in a statement. “With Rollie’s proven financial leadership and strong understanding of our profitable business model and global operations, he will be a valuable addition to our management team as we drive continued growth and success for CSG."

Johns earned a Bachelor of Accounting degree from the University of San Diego.

CSG’s customers include Arrow Electronics, AT&T, Bharti Airtel, Charter Communications, Comcast, DISH, Eastlink, iflix, MTN, TalkTalk, Telefonica, Telstra and Verizon, among others. 

Colorado-based billing and customer care specialist CSG International has appointed Brian Shepherd to the post of executive vice president of CSG International and president of its Global Broadband, Cable and Satellite business.

Shepherd is late of several companies from the billing and customer care sector, including TeleTech, Amdocs, DST Innovis, and McKinsey & Company. During his time at Amdocs, Shepherd held key exec roles leading its broadband cable & satellite, North American Communications and Interactive divisions.

In his new role at CSG, which expanded its agreement with Comcast in 2014, Shepherd will focus on accelerating the growth and strategic direction of CSG’s global broadband, cable and direct broadcast satellite business.

“The pace of change and innovation in our industry has never been faster,” said Shepherd, in a statement. Our customers are leading the digital transformation fueled by broadband availability, innovative new services and the proliferation of devices. CSG will continue to invest in and support the future success of our valued customers.”

“Globally, the video and entertainment industry is transforming its business to better serve the mobile, digital consumer,” added Bret Griess, president and CEO of CSG International. “Now, more than ever, operators need new strategies and solutions that will allow them to expand relationships with existing and new consumers, and empower consumers to take their video content with them wherever they go, across all devices.  The combination of a proven and trusted industry leader like Brian and CSG’s unrivalled domain expertise in the cable and satellite markets will enable us to continue to deliver exceptional business outcomes to cable operators around the world.”