Comcast Launches IP-Enabled Phone Service Throughout Maryland and Northern Virginia Area

Comcast Launches IP-Enabled Phone Service Throughout Maryland and Northern Virginia Area

Maryland and Northern Virginia Areas Become the Latest to Offer a Full Suite of Comcast Products for the Connected Home -- Television, High-Speed and Voice

BALTIMORE, Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast announced today the launch of Comcast Digital Voice throughout Maryland and Northern Virginia including:

Maryland: Virginia:
Anne Arundel County Alexandria
Baltimore County Arlington
Harford County Reston
Howard County Western Prince William County
Montgomery County

The service was also recently launched in Richmond, VA. 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 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 only one bill for all Comcast services. That is why Comcast guarantees that Comcast Digital Voice customers will be satisfied, or receive a refund for the first 30 days of service.

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 up to several hours of battery back-up.

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 is in more than 20 markets, and plans to reach more than 15 million homes with this new service, by year-end 2005.

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.

*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: Matt Hombach for Comcast, +1-410-568-8802 or
mhombach@nevinspr.com

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

NOTE TO EDITORS: A media conference call to discuss the launch of Comcast Digital Voice throughout Maryland and Northern Virginia is scheduled for 11 a.m. this morning, Dec. 12. All media are welcome to participate. Jim Gordon, Vice President of Public Affairs for Comcast's Atlantic Division, will host the call. Please call 1-866-206-2777 and use passcode 13443687 to participate.

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