Comcast has quietly doubled the max downstream speed of its prepaid internet product, while keeping the upstream speed unchanged.

The updated product now delivers downstream speeds up to 20 Mbps, up from 10 Mbps, and continues to deliver up to 1 Mbps in the upstream direction. Those speeds are still below the FCC's broadband definition of 25 Mbps down by 3 Mbps up. 

Comcast confirmed that the downstream speed increase for the prepaid product took effect on Aug. 1, 2017.

That increase arrived about five months after Comcast commercially launched the Xfinity Prepaid Internet service, which is being sold online and in several Boost Mobile stores (Boost is a prepaid unit of Sprint) located in Comcast’s service footprint.

RELATED: Comcast Goes Wide With Prepaid Internet Product

Comcast began testing prepaid internet service in 2012 offering just 3 Mbps down/768 Kbps up, and has been targeting the offering to consumers without bank accounts or those who otherwise don’t qualify for a post-paid service. Comcast’s prepaid internet doesn’t require credit checks or annual contracts.

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Comcast has not announced how many customers have signed on. To keep the cannibalization of its post-paid internet service in check, Xfinity Prepaid service can’t be obtained at an address that has an active billed-service account with Comcast.

Comcast is selling the prepaid internet option for $45 for 30 days of service, or $15 for seven days of service. Customers are also on the hook for a one-time equipment and startup fee of $35 that includes the refurbished wireless gateway/modem.

Comcast is also testing a prepaid TV service in some markets.

Comcast said it has launched a prepaid Internet product across its service footprint, and that it expects to relaunch a prepaid video product later this year.

The full-footprint launch of the no-contract Xfinity Prepaid Internet follows the initial launch of that option last summer in select markets, including Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, Florida and Indiana.

RELATED: Comcast Sets Launch of Prepaid TV and Internet Services

Comcast has a deal to sell prepaid services via thousands of Boost Mobile stores in areas where Comcast operates. Comcast said there are currently more than 800 participating Boost Mobile stores located in states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Texas, and that Xfinity Prepaid services will be available to in more than 4,000 Boost Mobile stores across Comcast’s footprint by the end of the year.  Boost Mobile, a prepaid mobile division of  Sprint, is offering $5 discounts on Comcast’s prepaid Internet product.

Per the service web site, a starter kit for Xfinity Prepaid Internet is $80, and includes a wireless DOCSIS 3.0 gateway, speeds up to 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream, and 30 days of service. Customers can refill service for seven days for $15, or 30 days for $45. Pricing is similar for the current but evolving version of Comcast’s prepaid TV service.

Comcast, which began testing prepaid service in 2012, will be targeting the new offering to consumers without bank accounts or those who otherwise can't qualify for a post-paid service. Comcast notes that prepaid Internet comes without a credit check or an annual contract.

Recent figures from the FDIC indicate that there are about 9 million “unbanked” homes in the U.S., or 24.5 million are “underbanked” (they have bank accounts but also obtain financial products and services from outside the banking system).

Comcast has also inserted some policies that will help it to avoid cannibalizing its post-paid base. For instance, in addition to putting a tight collar on the maximum service speeds, an Xfinity Prepaid service can’t be used at an address that has an active billed-service account with Comcast, the FAQ notes.

"This offering is all about providing customers a flexible and predictable service that can accommodate individual lifestyles and financial needs," John Dixon, VP of consumer services group at Comcast, said in a statement. "Our prepaid service gives people more control over their monthly bills and lets families get easy Internet access for their home whenever they want it." 

Verizon Fios introduced prepaid TV, Internet and home phone service options earlier this month. Verizon’s prepaid Fios Internet product sells for $60 per month for 25 Mbps (upstream and downstream), with a WiFi router included.

RELATED: Verizon Fios Rolls Out Prepaid Option

Frontier Communications has also tried out a prepaid option for Internet service, though that option appears to no longer be active.

Comcast has not announced how many of its customers are taking a prepaid service. Last year, Comcast noted that it had not been counting prepaid customers in its earnings during the trials, and that it will continue to report subscriber figures that include only post-paid customers. 

Following a lengthy trial period, Comcast said it will launch prepaid Internet and TV services later this year in five markets, with plans to expand access across its footprint by the end of 2017.

Those no-contract services, marketed under the Xfinity Prepaid Services brand, will initially be offered in Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, Florida and Indiana.

Comcast also announced a retail distribution deal with Sprint-owned prepaid mobile unit, Boost Mobile, which will provide the MSO with a point-of-purchase retail option. There are 4,441 Boost Mobile stores in the states in which Comcast provides service. Comcast has also been working with a variety of local retailers during the trial period. Customers can also sign up for prepaid service online or by phone (855-75-PREPAID).

Notably, Comcast has not been counting prepaid customers in its earnings during the trial phase (Comcast started to test prepaid Internet services back in late 2012), and will continue to report subscriber figures that include only post-paid customers. Comcast said there’s been no decision to change its current methodology for recognizing and reporting its customer relationships. Comcast, by the way, is scheduled to report Q2 2016 results on Wednesday, July 27.

Similar to prepaid offerings that have been successful in the cellular market, Comcast has been targeting its prepaid offerings at consumers without bank accounts or those with bad credit history who can't qualify for a post-paid TV or Internet service.

“We want to create an easy, pay-as-you-go option for people who want more flexibility and predictability when buying our services,” Marcien Jenckes, executive vice president, consumer services, Comcast Cable.  “And our partnership with Boost Mobile will give Xfinity Prepaid customers even more places where they can conveniently sign-up and pay-as-they-go.”

One challenge with prepaid service is to avoid cannibalizing post-paid customers. Per Comcast’s policy for prepaid, prospective customers cannot have an active account with the operator. Comcast has set up a web site where consumers can check to see if they are eligible for one of the MSO’s prepaid services. 

Pricing and Packaging

Customers who want prepaid must purchase a Starter Kit that includes the requisite equipment, and 30 days of service. Customers can refill their service in seven- and 30-day increments online at xfinityprepaid.net, by visiting a participating retailer, or by calling the number mentioned above.

The $80 Starter Kit for Comcast’s prepaid Internet service, which offers 10 Mbps down and 1 Mbps upstream, includes a wireless DOCSIS 3.0 gateway and the necessary cables. Customers can refill it for seven days for $15 or 30 days for $45. That service is not considered “broadband” in the eyes of the FCC, which raised its definition of broadband to 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps upstream in January 2015.

Comcast’s is selling two primary TV Prepaid products that use Digital Television Adapters (DTAs), one-way channel-zappers that do not support VOD.

-TV Prepaid 200: An $80 Starter Kit with the DTA, remote control and cables, and 30 days of a service that includes more than 45 channels (including the local TV broadcasters, but no sports networks). Refills cost $15 for seven days, or $45 for 30 days.

-TV Prepaid 450: A $120 Starter Kit with a DTA, remote control, cables, and 30 days of service, with a lineup of more than 140 channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, and FS1, with many delivered in HD.

Comcast is also offering a TV Prepaid Latino add-on package comprised of more than 60 channels, including Univision, Univision Deportes, ESPN Deportes, NBC Universo, Telemundo beIN Sports, Cine Mexicano, Galavision, and Familia Discovery. Per the web site, TV Prepaid Latino can be added to either TV Prepaid 200 or TV Prepaid 450 packages at no additional charge. 

Tappp, a startup that enables partners to offer streaming services via subscription and pre-paid payment options, this week announced it has raised $4.2 million in a round led by Accomplice, along with participation from Transmedia and individual investors such as Mike Baker, Gina Garrubbo, and Keith Nilsson.

Tappp currently offers services in India and Southeast Asia, but plans to extend into North America, starting in Canada. Its current crop of content partners HooQ (Singtel Group, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros.), DittoTV, Box TV, and Gaana, among others.

Tappp said it offers online subscription services and pre-paid cards that can be purchased at more than 100,000 retailers. Though its early focus has been on international markets that rely heavily on cash and pre-paid purchase transactions, cable operators, such as Comcast, have been testing pre-paid TV and high-speed Internet service models to reach a segment of the market that does not qualify for post-paid services. 

Consumers who take Comcast’s prepaid Internet service for a spin are getting a few more bits for the buck.

Comcast confirmed that it has raised the max speeds of the offering to 10 Mbps down by 1 Mbps upstream, from 3 Mbps down and 768 kbps up.

Even with the speed increase, Comcast’s prepaid high-speed Internet service still isn’t fast enough to be considered “broadband” when viewed through the lens of the FCC, which currently defines broadband as 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up.

Targeting consumers without bank accounts or those with bad credit history who don’t qualify for a post-paid data service, Comcast began to test its prepaid Internet product in late 2012.

Comcast has not said how many of its 23.32 million high-speed Internet customers are taking the prepaid option, but the MSO still characterizes prepaid as a trial.

Comcast’s prepaid Internet service requires a starter kit ($70 or $80, depending on the market) that includes the DOCSIS 3.0 modem, cables and 30 days of service. Following that first month, customers can buy seven days of service for $15 or 30 days for an additional $45.

Comcast is also testing a prepaid TV service in select markets, including Detroit, that features a starter kit that includes an HD Digital Transport Adapter and 30 days of service.

And there have been some changes made to that offer, which initially did not support HDTV or include sports networks. 

According to the latest lineup, the prepaid TV offerings include TV Prepaid 200 (local broadcast channels and a sports-free mix of national cable channels), and TV Prepaid 450 (locals, a wider selection of national cable channels, including sports nets such as ESPN, ESPN2, and  for a mix of local channels and national cable channels. Per the Comcast prepaid web site, it has also created two other tiers – TV Prepaid 200 Latino, and TV Prepaid 450 Latino.

The Prepaid 200 Starter Kit includes the cable box and 30 days of service for $80. Customers can then buy seven days of additional service for $15, or $45 for 30 days. The Starter Kit for Prepaid 450 costs $120, then offers seven days for $30, or 30 days of service for $90. 

Jumping on a trend that’s becoming increasingly popular with U.S. ISPs, Shenandoah Telecommunications Co. has rolled out a pay-as-you-go Internet service.

That service, called Flex, offers 30 days of service for $19.99. Per the FAQ, vustomers are required to buy a $99 starter kit that comes with a wireless  modem, a month of service and a key card. Customers can refill by bringing the Flex Key Card to a ShenTel store or buy more access online flex.shentel.com (customers in the latter group must provide their modem’s MAC ID).

To keep the prepaid offering from cannibalizing its post-paid base, ShenTel limits Flex to  3 Mbps downstream. Customers who want or need more speed will need to take a post-paid service plan.

“Having in-home Internet access has become essential to everyday life. Flex is a great product for folks looking for an entry-level Internet service, without the burden of a contract and expensive monthly payments,” ShenTel vice president Tom Whitaker said, according to CED.

ShenTel joins other ISPs that are testing or have launched prepaid Internet offerings that are generally targeted to “unbanked” consumers, those with bad credit and others who do not otherwise qualify for a post-paid product.

Comcast started to test a prepaid Internet product in the fall of 2012, and has followed with a prepaid TV product in select areas that has recently begun to support HD as a baseline (the original prepaid TV product was standard-def only). Frontier Communications rolled out a prepaid Internet product more than a year ago.

Comcast has expanded the retail reach of its ongoing prepaid Internet service trial, extending it to select retail stores in parts of Arkansas and Tennessee.

According to the Web site for the product, called Xfinity Prepaid Internet, Comcast is now selling it in two Smooth Wireless stores in West Memphis, Ark.; and in more than a dozen Smooth Wireless, 901 Wireless, Odyssey Cellular, and EZ Wireless stores located in Memphis, Tenn.

Those additions expand on Comcast’s previous prepaid Internet retail efforts in Philadelphia, and parts of Delaware, New Jersey and Florida. Comcast, which started to test the service in the fall of 2012, has also set-up a toll-free number to fulfill orders.

Comcast said the prepaid Internet offering is still considered a market trial, and that the retail expansion is to help it test the product in different geographies, with a wider range of demographics, and to help the operator develop best practices for prepaid offerings.

Taking advantage of a model that is popular in the mobile industry, Comcast’s no-contract, prepaid Internet service is limited to consumers who don’t have an active account with the operator or do not otherwise qualify for one of its post-paid products. For consumers that do qualify, Comcast offers a starter kit for $69.95 that comes with a DOCSIS 3.0 modem, required cabling and 30 days of service. After that, customers can obtain service refills -- $15 for seven days, or $45 for 30 days – by purchasing refill codes from participating retailers or online at a XfinityPrepaid.net. 

The speed of the offering is currently limited to 3 Mbps downstream by 768 kbps upstream, so it isn’t considered “broadband” when viewed through the lens of the FCC, which recently voted to raise its definition from 4 Mbps down/1 Mbps up, to 25 Mbps/3 Mbps.

Comcast is also testing a prepaid TV service that features a $69.95 starter kit that includes a standard-def Digital Transport Adapter, 30 days of service and a sports-free TV lineup.