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Comcast seeks ways to stay ahead of telecoms
Comcast sees upcoming video and communications services as competitive advantages as it defends its leading position in the television market.
Top US cable operator Comcast Corp sees upcoming video and communications services as competitive advantages as it defends its leading position in the television market, a top executive said on Wednesday.
From adding more videos available on-demand to eventually incorporating Internet-like search features for TV programmes, Comcast expects to maintain a competitive edge despite the fierce competition arriving this year, Brian Roberts, chief executive of Comcast, said at the Reuters Telecommunications, Cable and Satellite Summit.
Although much remains in Comcast's technology labs, Roberts spoke broadly about how in the future of cable could distance itself from the phone industry pushing into TV.
"We are focused on stimulating new technology and innovation," he said. "With 21 million customers, we have more ability to incubate and try new ideas than anyone else."
Comcast has held conversations with Internet companies such as Google Inc to find ways to collaborate on bolstering Comcast's high-speed Internet portal.
Although there are no concrete plans on how Google could improve television navigation, Roberts suggested that Internet-like searches of television programs would likely only be a matter of time.
"We are asking what can we do today with Google's search," Roberts said. "We've had preliminary chats on how to collaborate to accelerate broadband."
He also alluded to very early ideas on how search could improve the television experience.
Distancing itself from new entrants in the market for pay-TV is critical for Comcast, which currently serves 21.4 million subscribers, unchanged from last year.
The cable industry, which has survived alongside only one competitor over the past decade in the form of satellite television providers, now faces the strongest challenge in its 57-year history.
Roberts also suggested Comcast could look for a wireless partnership that would let customers have one voicemail for both their wireless and home phones. Such a service could perhaps let them look at their email on the phones as well.
"Wireless is a work in progress for us," he said. "It's more about ease for the consumer."
Cable market valuations are also near decade lows, despite Comcast having just posted its 20th consecutive quarter of double-digit operating cash flow growth. It's expected to go even higher when it aggressively markets digital phone services in the second half of the year.
"Some of the competition is intensifying. But we have new products. We're not standing still," Roberts said.
