Comcast Business said it’s splashing some cash on Knoxville to expand the availability of 10-Gig services via its fiber-based Ethernet platform, which features private line, virtual private line, and dedicated Internet and multipoint-to-multipoint network service offerings.
“We have come a long way with our redevelopment effort in Knoxville and Knox County, and partnering with companies like Comcast has been a key factor in the city’s growth,” said Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett, in a statement. “Comcast’s multi-million dollar investment in Knoxville’s technology infrastructure will help revitalize the community, attract new businesses and encourage existing ones to grow, making Knoxville a formidable player in recruiting organizations from the technology industry.”
“Knoxville continues to establish itself as a leading technology hub, attracting some of the world’s premier organizations,” added Bob Deckard, vice president for Comcast Business. “Despite this positive trend, however, many local businesses still lack ‘last mile’ access to high-speed services, a real challenge in today’s global marketplace. Our investment will help businesses grow their operations, reinforcing Knoxville as a destination of choice for organizations of all sizes.”
Comcast Business said its Ethernet services are delivered over a network that now spans 140,000 miles across 39 states and Washington, D.C., and 20 of the top 25 U.S. markets.
While the bulk of Comcast Business’ revenues come from small businesses served off the MSO’s HFC plant, the operator’s Ethernet platform has been boosting its contribution as the operator continues to sign on more mid-sized commercial customers.
Last month, Vertical Systems reported that Comcast had risen two spots – from number eight to number six – on its mid-year 2014 U.S. Carrier Ethernet Leaderboard, which sets a threshold of 4% or more of billable port installations.
Overall, Comcast’s business services arm raked in $965 million in the second quarter of 2014, up from $788 million in the year-ago quarter, putting the division on pace for $3.76 billion for all of 2014.
