What’s the difference between Comcast and Xfinity?

Comcast and Xfinity are the same company.   Comcast started out providing residential cable services. As Comcast continues to grow and buy more properties (companies, TV channels, etc.) they needed a way to separate the residential services from the other companies they own, hence the Xfinity branding.  Xfinity is Comcast’s residential services division.  They are one in the same.

Comcast offers service to U.S. residential and commercial customers in 40 states including the District of Columbia.  Comcast is the largest broadcasting and largest cable company in the world by revenue and is the second largest pay-TV company after the AT&T-DirecTV acquisition, the largest cable TV company and largest home Internet service provider in the United States, and the nation's third largest home telephone service provider.

As the owner of the international media company NBCUniversal since 2011. Comcast is also a producer of feature films and television programs intended for theatrical exhibition and over-the-air and cable television broadcast.

Comcast operates multiple cable-only channels (including E! Entertainment Television, the Golf Channel, and NBCSN), over-the-air national broadcast network channels (NBC and Telemundo), the film production studio Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks & Resorts, with a global total of nearly 200 family entertainment locations and attractions in the U.S. and several other countries.

Fully or partially owned Comcast programming includes Comcast Newsmakers, Comcast Network, Comcast SportsNet, SportsNet New York, MLB Network, Comcast Sports Southeast/Charter Sports Southeast, NBC Sports Network, The Golf Channel, AZN Television, and FEARnet.

Comcast's content networks and investments also include E!, Esquire Network, Golf Channel, NBCSN, Sprout, TV One, and the regional Comcast SportsNets.

Comcast became majority owner of Comcast SportsNet, as well as Golf Channel and NBCSN (formerly the Outdoor Life Network, then Versus).

This isn’t an exhaustive list of all of the properties owned by Comcast, but as you can see they own quote a few properties and that is why it was necessary to rebrand their name to market a better fit their residential services.

Price Quotes for New Comcast Xfinity Service

*** COMCAST PRICE QUOTES / NEW XFINITY SERVICE ***

If you call in to Comcast to get a service quote, the offer you are given is only valid on the call with the agent giving you the quote at that time.  If you want that offer you should have the agent put the order into the system to hold it.  It’s likely you could get a different package or even higher rate if you elect to call back in as offers change regularly, agents have access to different offers, interpret equipment you need differently, etc.  You are not financially obligated until 30 days after the installation since Comcast offers a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee.

Comcast requires any past due balances and deposits ($100-$200, refundable after 12 months) be paid prior to starting new service.

Comcast is the fastest high speed internet service provider in the United States offering downloads up to 2 GBps according to Ookla Speedtest.net

CenturyLink and many other service providers are DSL and may require a phone line to get internet service OR require the phone line to get the $19.99 advertised Internet rate.  CenturyLink DSL is slow- with many customers reporting speeds up to 1.5mbps (not 20mbps advertised) and CenturyLink knows it so they offer a $20 monthly price with a 5 year contract to entice customers more focused on price which sounds enticing but once you realize how slow their internet is, it’s too late to switch and you’re stuck in their contract.  Not everyone gets slow speeds with CenturyLink but eventually you may cap out at their offered speeds and will need to switch to another provider.  It is easy for the average home user to need speeds faster than CenturyLink can offer.

Don’t call in to only order only Internet service.  You are wasting your time because you can sign up online faster and don't have to be hassled by the agent about all of Comcast's other services.  The agent you speak with on the phone doesn’t get paid commission for signing you up for Internet-only service and will generally charge you more for monthly service and installation.  Sign up for Internet-only service online.  Only call in to sign up if you have your own modem, know your home is Comcast-ready and you want to self-activate and are ready to start using the internet service on the same call.

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