Comcast has completed its analog-reclamation initiative -- code-named Project Cavalry -- in more than 75% of the systems in its Freedom Region, which serves 2.5 million customers in the greater Philadelphia area, New Jersey and northern Delaware.
Comcast said it has converted more than 445 communities in the Freedom Region, and expects to be finished with the upgrade in 2010.
With Project Cavalry, Comcast is converting between 35 and 50 analog channels to digital-only delivery. To let expanded-basic cable customers who don't have digital set-tops keep accessing the programming, Comcast offers a set-top box and two digital terminal adapters (DTAs) at no additional cost.Customers that do have set-tops are eligible to receive two DTAs for no extra charge.
That allows Comcast to free up to 300 MHz of spectrum to deliver new services like HD, DOCSIS 3.0 and video-on-demand.
In the Freedom Region, Comcast said, most systems have already seen at least 40 new HD channels -- including Bravo HD, Travel Channel HD, ESPNU HD, Comedy Central HD and Nickelodeon HD -- as a result of the spectrum freed up by the project, which is branded "World of More" to subscribers.
Earlier this year, the Freedom Region also completed its roll-out of DOCSIS 3.0 wideband technology, through which the operator is offering the Extreme 50 tier with download speeds of up to 50 Mbps. Comcast is also doubling speeds for the majority of existing high-speed Internet customers at no additional cost with the DOCSIS upgrade.
Freedom Region areas that have cut over are the Philadelphia-area counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery, and the New Jersey systems of Burlington County, Gloucester County, Hillsborough, Lambertville, Long Hill, Maple Shade, Meadowlands, Plainfield, Princeton, Trenton and Union.
Comcast is providing more information to customers on Project Cavalry at www.comcast.com/digitalnow.
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