Elad Nafshi, Comcast’s chief network officer, spoke about the future of the internet at the Oakland Museum of California on April 19. Credit: Don Feria/AP Images for Comcast)

Comcast will start rolling out the nation’s largest and fastest multi-gig network to Xfinity and Comcast Business customers in Northern California this year.  The newly announced Xfinity 10G Network is a next-generation broadband network that continues to get smarter, faster, and more reliable. Comcast will also be offering a “storm-ready” device to keep customers connected when the power goes out.

This was the topic of a panel discussion hosted by the East Bay Economic Development Alliance on April 19 at the Oakland Museum of California. Comcast’s Chief Network Officer, Elad Nafshi, was joined by State Treasurer Fiona Ma; Tamia Brown of the Contra Costa County Workforce Board and Nand  Mulchandani of the CIA. They discussed how the future of the internet and the technology surrounding its innovation will shape our lives, support our workforce, impact our healthcare and empower our residents and our businesses. 

Elad Nafshi (center), of Comcast, met with Bay Area and California leaders at a panel about the internet and technology on April 19. Credit: Don Feria/AP Images for Comcast

“Streaming live sports, 4K gaming, hybrid work, and virtual reality have gone mainstream in just a few years,” Nafshi said. “And multi-gigabit speeds, capacity, reliability, and low latency are key factors making our connectivity experience superior to the competition.”

“Our definition of reliability has to shift from merely being always-on, to powering multiple data-intensive applications across dozens of devices, and the investments we are making in our network are creating immediate benefits for our Bay Area customers.” 

As the average household in California continues to increase the number of applications and devices running on the internet at one time, the need for increased speeds is more critical than ever.

The 10G network is built to power the technologies people rely on — fueling innovation and creativity today and into the future. These network improvements also provide better reliability, performance, and energy efficiency, also needed now more than ever.  

The 10G network will reach tens of millions of homes and businesses in the nation by the end of 2023, and 50 million by 2025. 

Ultimate Capacity

Comcast’s 2021 WiFi Trends Report found that Xfinity customers connect nearly 1 billion devices across the network annually. The Comcast Xfinity 10G Network partnered with the Xfinity Gateway has the ultimate capacity to deliver the most advanced Wi-Fi technology, carrying three times more bandwidth to power streaming, gaming, videoconferencing, and more, simultaneously. 

The Trends Report found that reliable Wi-Fi has become so critical that nearly half of the country (45%) believe it is more important than reliable transportation. 

Comcast’s next-generation network and internet experience are powering homes today and into the future with:   

  • Fastest internet: More than one third of Xfinity internet customers subscribe to gigabit speed products, and Ookla rated Xfinity the fastest internet provider at the end of 2022. 
  • Unprecedented coverage: The latest Xfinity Gateway provides a more reliable connection throughout the home. Customers can also get wall-to-wall Wi-Fi coverage with a powerful xFi Pod that extends coverage to hard-to-reach areas.  
  • Most reliable connection: Comcast plans to launch a new device that is “storm-ready” with cellular and battery backup to help keep customers connected even when the power goes out.  
  • Ultra-low latency: The Xfinity 10G Network and the latest xFi Gateway are a powerful combination that deliver ultra-low latency for those moments when response times matter most, like video games, a fast-growing category with Xfinity households averaging more than one gaming console per home.  

More information about the Xfinity 10G Network can be found here.