Comcast has moved ahead with a BYOD (bring your own device) option for its Xfinity Mobile service, starting with select, unlocked iPhone models.
A web page about the BYOD program provides a way for consumers to see if their existing iPhone model (including the iPhone X, iPhone 7, iPhone 6 and 6s, iPhone SE, and iPhone 5, 5s and 5c) is eligible for the program.
Unlocked iPhone models (those that can be used on different carriers) that don’t qualify for Xfinity Mobile’s BYOD program may be eligible to be traded in for a gift card equal to the value of the phone, Comcast noted.
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Comcast currently does not extend the BYOD option to Android phones, but notes in the FAQ that it’s “still working behind the scenes” to support that capability. Comcast expects to bring the BYOD option to additional devices later in 2018.
The BYOD option should make it easier for more consumers to move to Xfinity Mobile, a service that Comcast launched in May for the MSO’s broadband customers that leans on Comcast’s WiFi network and the company’s MVNO agreement with Verizon Communications.
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Last fall, Comcast announced that Xfinity Mobile had more than 250,000 customer lines activated. Comcast is scheduled to report Q4 2017 results on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
The company has previously noted that most Xfinity Mobile customers are opting for the offering's by-the-gigabyte plan ($12 per GB), rather than the unlimited data tier ($45 per month per line).
“With the introduction of BYOD, we now have a convenient way for iPhone users to switch to Xfinity Mobile and get access to the best 4G LTE network plus 18 million WiFi hotspots without having to purchase a new phone,” Rui Costa, vice president of product management and customer experience for Xfinity Mobile, said in a statement. “A core tenet of Xfinity Mobile is that it’s simple and easy, and our in-store BYOD experience will be no different.”
