Comcast Launches DOCSIS 3.1 in Pittsburgh
Continuing its aggressive rollout of DOCSIS 3.1, Comcast confirmed that it has launched 1-Gig services using the technology to the vast majority of the residential homes and businesses it reaches in the Greater Pittsburgh area.
A small number of areas in that region that are not part of today’s launch (Washington County, the North Hills and the Mon Valley, according to The Tribune-Review) will be getting D3.1-based services by mid-November, with any remaining portions to get it by end of year.
Using D3.1, Comcast will offer up to 1 Gbps downstream and up to 35 Mbps in the upstream. The cable industry is also working on a “Full Duplex” annex to D3.1 that will support symmetrical multi-gigabit speeds.
RELATED: Full Duplex DOCSIS Plows Ahead
Like in many of its other D3.1 markets, Comcast in Pittsburgh is offering 1-Gig residential service for $79.99 per month under a 12-month promotional price/contract, before rising to almost $105 per month.
The launch in the area follows recent rollouts in Comcast’s hometown of Philadelphia and in Baltimore.
Comcast, which also offers a 2 Gbps “Gigabit Pro” service using FTTP in many markets, expects to have D3.1 deployed in the majority of its footprint by end of year.
Last week on Comcast’s Q3 earnings call, company chairman and CEO Brian Roberts said that high-margin broadband is becoming the “epicenter” of Comcast’s relationships with customers.
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RELATED: Roberts: Broadband Becoming ‘Epicenter’ of Comcast’s Customer Relationship