Comcast Launches IP-Enabled Phone Service Throughout Its Metro Richmond Systems

Comcast Launches IP-Enabled Phone Service Throughout Its Metro Richmond Systems

Metro Richmond Area Becomes the Latest to Offer a Full Suite of Comcast Products for the Connected Home -- Television, High-Speed and Voice

RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast announced today the launch of Comcast Digital Voice throughout its Metro Richmond Systems. Comcast's new IP-enabled voice service offers customers digital-quality phone service with unlimited direct-dial local and domestic long-distance calling, Web access to voicemail, E911 service, and 12 of the most popular calling features.*

"Comcast is excited to offer the residents of the Metro Richmond, Va., area the reliable and innovative voice services they want, with Comcast Digital Voice," said Kirby Brooks, Vice President & General Manager for Comcast's Metro Richmond systems. "Our privately managed network serves as a strong foundation for today's voice, television and high-speed Internet products, and will completely coordinate the home entertainment and communication experience, all on one integrated bill."

Comcast Digital Voice answers the call for a reliable phone service like no other IP-enabled offering on the market today. Well-positioned as a replacement for customers' plain old telephone service, Comcast Digital Voice is a less-expensive, fully featured phone service with online call management, Web access to voicemail and preferred pricing based on the number of Comcast products in the home.

Comcast Digital Voice is designed to be easy for the consumer. Comcast technicians will professionally install Comcast Digital Voice in the home - converting the jacks and existing wiring in the home. Customers can keep their current phone numbers and use their touch-tone phones to make and receive an unlimited amount of direct-dial local and domestic long-distance calls for as little as $39.95 per month. Comcast also offers very competitive international rates.

Comcast stresses quality and reliability. Unlike traditional Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) offerings that run on the public Internet, Comcast Digital Voice calls originate and travel over Comcast's advanced, proprietary managed network. Because Comcast Digital Voice is a managed service, Comcast can make sure that customer calls get priority handling. Furthermore, if power goes out in the home, Comcast customers can rest assured knowing Comcast Digital Voice is equipped with 5-8 hours of battery backup. These are two important reasons why 92 percent of current Comcast Digital Voice customers rate their service from good to excellent.

Comcast Digital Voice addresses 911 concerns. Comcast has access to the network, systems and capabilities to handle 911/E911 calls the way traditional phone companies do ensuring that calls, location information and telephone numbers are transmitted to the correct local emergency responders.

Comcast Digital Voice customers will also receive innovative features including:

-- Web access to voicemail;
-- Compatibility with a majority of home alarm systems;
-- Ability to manage their account online;
-- And, coming soon, customers who have Comcast Digital Voice and Comcast
High-Speed Internet will have the ability to use the Digital Voice
Center (Web portal) to manage their voice and email messages from one
central location.

Comcast plans to reach 20 markets and 15 million homes with this new service in 2005, and all Comcast markets, approximately 41 million homes, by year-end 2006.

Comcast is one of the largest cable telephone providers in the United States, with 1.2 million circuit-switched phone customers and more than seven years of experience in the phone business.

About Comcast

Comcast Corporation (http://www.comcast.com/) is the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services. With 21.4 million cable customers, 7.7 million high-speed Internet customers, and 1.2 million voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable networks and in the delivery of programming content.

The Company's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, OLN, G4, AZN Television, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One and four regional Comcast SportsNets. The Company also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.

Comcast Metro Richmond serves close to 250,000 area customers and has invested more than $250 million over 5 years upgrading more than 3,000 miles of fiber-optic cable.

*Editor's Note: 12 most popular calling features include 3-way calling, anonymous call rejection, call forwarding, call return, call screening, call waiting, caller ID, caller ID blocking, caller ID with call waiting, repeat dialing, speed dial and enhanced voicemail.

Source: Comcast

CONTACT: Stephanie Offen, +1-410-568-8821, or soffen@nevinspr.com, for
Comcast

Web site: http://www.comcast.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: A media conference call to discuss the launch of Comcast Digital Voice in Richmond, Va., is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. this afternoon, Dec. 1. All media are welcome to participate. Kirby Brooks, Vice President and General Manager for Comcast's Metro Richmond systems, will be taking questions and speaking on the topic. Please call 1-800-869-2023 and use passcode 13358932 to participate. Registration for the call will begin at 2:15 p.m.

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