STAMFORD, Conn.—Charter's Spectrum operating brand has launched `Invincible WiFi’, a industry’s first WiFi 7 service with integrated battery and 5G cellular backup that is designed to provide customers with connectivity even during power outages.

“By integrating WiFi 7 with battery power and 5G backup, we make sure critical moments aren’t interrupted,” said Dave Rodrian, group vice president, WiFi Products. “Invincible WiFi means you can continue with movie night, businesses can take payments, and students can finish their homework even if the lights go out. Through wind, rain and snow, our customers can count on Spectrum Internet to be there when it matters most.”

Available to both residential and business customers, Invincible WiFi’s advanced technology and automated backup systems operate in the background, so customers’ devices remain seamlessly connected. If a home or business loses power, Invincible WiFi’s battery unit keeps the router running for up to eight hours. Invincible WiFi also comes with a backup 5G cellular connection, keeping customers online without interruption if a network disruption occurs.

The Invincible WiFi router supports the latest WiFi 7 technology, offering faster speeds, lower latency and improved performance for the growing number of devices in today’s homes and workplaces. Customers can easily set up and manage their WiFi with the My Spectrum App.

For residential customers, Invincible WiFi is included with Spectrum’s 2 Gig Internet service at no additional cost. It can be added to Spectrum Internet Gig service for $10/month or to any other Spectrum Internet package for $20/month. Similarly, Spectrum Business customers with 2 Gig Internet service receive Invincible WiFi at no additional cost and all other Spectrum Business customers can get Invincible WiFi for $30/month or add it to their existing WiFi service for an incremental $20/month.

More information about Spectrum's Invincible WiFi is available at Spectrum.com/StayConnected.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.—With Hurricane Milton expected to make landfall as one of the strongest hurricanes to hit west Florida in recent years, Comcast has announced that it has opened more than 261,000 Xfinity WiFi Hotspots in areas the company serves across Florida.

The move to open up the free and public hotspots to anyone within Comcast’s coverage area is designed to help residents and emergency personnel stay connected ahead of Milton's landfall, the Philadelphia-based cable operator said.

“With this second storm impacting Florida so soon, we want to do all we can to help those affected by Milton stay connected,” Comcast Senior Vice President, Florida Region Jeff Buzzelli said. “Whether it is video calling loved ones or receiving the latest safety information, being able to get online is critical. We hope opening these hotspots across the state will give Floridians one more tool to support them.”

In preparation for Milton’s potential impact on Florida, Comcast reported that it is positioning crews and equipment to respond immediately in the event of network damage. Updates on Comcast's response to Milton is available at: florida.comcast.com.

For a map of public Xfinity WiFi hotspots, which are located both indoors and outdoors in places such as shopping districts, parks, and businesses, visit xfinity.com/wifi.

To access a hotspot, Comcast said, users within range should select the “xfinitywifi” network on their device’s list of available networks, then launch a browser. Sign-in options will appear for both Xfinity customers and non-customers.

Xfinity Internet customers can sign in with their account credentials and will automatically connect to any nearby Xfinity WiFi hotspots in the future. Alternatively, a subscriber can download the Xfinity WiFi Hotspots app and sign in with their account credentials.

Non-Xfinity Internet subscribers need to look for the "Get Connected" section and agree to the Terms and Conditions to be connected. Noncustomers can renew their complimentary sessions every two hours while the hotspots are open.

PHILADELPHIA—Comcast has launched WiFi Boost capabilities that allows Xfinity Mobile and Comcast Business Mobile devices to get speeds of up to 1 Gbps when they connect to millions of new “Xfinity Mobile” hotspots. 

In launching the feature, Comcast reported that around 90% of the mobile data traffic on Xfinity Mobile devices travels over WiFi, not cellular. With more than 23 million WiFi hotspots now able to give customers a speed boost with WiFi Boost, the company said that Xfinity Mobile continues to deliver a better experience to support data-intensive applications than traditional cellular networks. 

The upgrades come at a time when Comcast and other cable operators are facing increased competition from telcos providing 5G services. At the same time, cable operators like Comcast have emerged as one of the fastest growing mobile providers in the country with Xfinity Mobile and Comcast Business Mobile. The services have combined to add more than 6.5 million lines since launching in 2017.

As this competition heats up, Comcast said that it has invested more than $20 billion over the past five years to upgrade and expand the Xfinity network and introduce new innovative features like WiFi Boost to support the constantly increasing number of connected devices consumers use both inside and outside of the home. 

“We’re supercharging hotspots to unlock the full potential of our customers’ mobile devices and give you the boost you need, when you need it, to download a large file, stream a live sporting event, or host an important video call,” said Kohposh Kuda, senior vice president, Xfinity Mobile, Comcast. “A billion devices connect to WiFi over our network because it delivers a superior experience. We’ve invested billions of dollars in a network that can support the massive growth in data consumption and our WiFi Boost upgrade is a huge win for our mobile customers.”

WiFi Boost is made possible by Comcast’s fiber-based network which has been built to deliver an exceptional Internet experience, ubiquitously, to the more than 60 million homes and businesses and across more than 23 million WiFi hotspots in Comcast’s footprint, Comcast said. 

More information is available at www.xfinity.com/mobile.  

PHILADELPHIA—Comcast Business has introduced the Comcast Business Gateway, its next-generation Advanced Gateway and the company’s first WiFi-6 certified device capable of delivering true multi-gigabit speeds of Wi-Fi connectivity to businesses. 

Comcast Business’s most powerful WiFi device to date, the gateway harnesses the innovation behind Comcast’s highly-acclaimed xFi Advanced Gateway – which offers the best in-home WiFi experience – and applies in connected workplaces to make next-gen speeds a widespread reality.

“Connectivity is the backbone of business, and as the speed of business accelerates, our customers demand a high-performance technology that can be their workhorse – and their racehorse,” said Christian Nascimento, vice president, Product Management & Strategy at Comcast Business. “Designed with love from Philadelphia, Comcast Business’s latest gateway enhances business performance through faster and more reliable wireless connectivity, supporting and securing businesses, their customers and employees.”

The Comcast Business Gateway is designed to reduce WiFi interference and increase bandwidth to power the most connected businesses of tomorrow. 

Key features include: 

• Designed for high-performance business users to handle more capacity and faster speeds, including 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands and Gig over WiFi to connect up to 150 devices – more than ever before.
• Ultra-low lag time for those moments when response times matter most like unrivaled cloud computing, videoconferencing and file transfers.
• Enables always-on services for clients and employees, even outside of the business’ network, with additional subscriptions.
• With a SecurityEdge subscription, the gateway automatically protects all connected devices at the gateway level from malware and other cybersecurity threats to help keep all devices within the business protected.
• Features multiple voice ports, a built-in Ethernet switch with two multi-gig ports, eight-hour battery backup for Comcast Business Voice service, and an industrial design that gives a business flexibility by allowing for wall, rack, and desktop mounting.

The Comcast Business Gateway is now fully available to businesses throughout the Comcast Business footprint.

PHILADELPHIA—Comcast has issued a new report on WiFi usage that provides a fascinating look at the importance of WiFi in homes and how that usage is changing, providing insights into a number of emerging services. 

Comcast’s 2021 WiFi Trends Report found that WiFi now has a growing and central role in homes, with the number of devices connected to WiFi skyrocketing 12X since 2018 as Xfinity households connected nearly 1 billion devices in 2021. 

That has made WiFi so critical that a Comcast-commissioned survey of consumers in November of 2021 found that nearly half of the country (45 percent) believe it is more important than reliable transportation. 

“The ecosystem of connected devices in the home and the applications running on them has exploded over the last few years, driving a shift in consumers’ perceptions on what truly is important to their connectivity experience,” said Sophie Ahmad, chief marketing officer of Xfinity Consumer Service, Comcast Cable. “Unbeatable Internet that provides the best connection, complete security, faster speeds and the best tech is now integral to how Americans work, exercise, parent, and entertain.”

Not surprisingly the report found that smartphones comprise more than a third of all devices connected on WiFi, dominating the connected device category with nearly 347 million connected in Xfinity households in 2021. That is a whopping 23X increase from 2018.

In addition, streaming continued to see significant growth in Xfinity households in 2021, with 119 million devices connected to WiFi during the year – a 14X increase from 2018.

The report also found at least one game system per home, with more than 36 million consoles connected to WiFi in Xfinity households – a 15X increase from 2018. Nearly two in three Americans who play online games (or live with others who do) say online video games are being played more today compared to five years ago. 

The report found that health was the fastest growing device category with more than 49 million smartwatches and fitness trackers connected to WiFi in Xfinity households––a 39X increase from 2018. 

Exercise equipment connected to WiFi also increased 93X for a total of almost 841,000 devices. This trend will continue, with 20 percent of households planning to purchase fitness-related devices over the next 12 months, according to the Xfinity survey. 

Homes are also getting smarter, as consumers increasingly purchase such Internet of Things (IoT) devices as connected cameras, doorbells, thermostats, and other devices. Xfinity households connected more than 2.5 million IoT devices in 2021, a 31X increase over 2018 levels.

Given the importance of WiFi, the survey also found that Xfinity customers were looking for new ways to control how and when their families used WiFi last year. 

In 2021, more than 1 million Xfinity households used xFi parental controls, with customers pausing/unpausing WiFi nearly 100 million times. 

In the same year, more than 477,000 customers created a total of more than 1 million “downtime” schedules, with the most popular moment being bedtime – followed by homework and dinnertime.

Improving the WiFi experience was another big trend. As a majority of Americans worked remotely in 2021, nearly three in five Americans (59 percent) improved their WiFi last year, with about a third upgrading their equipment (28 percent) or increasing their speeds (27 percent). 

In addition, Xfinity Internet customers purchased more than one million xFi pods, WiFi extenders that ensure stronger WiFi coverage throughout the home, over the last 3 years. 

Comcast released the 2021 WiFi Trends Report on the heels of announcing its newest gateway, the next generation xFi Advanced Gateway.

It delivers ultra-fast, multi-Gig speeds, and has more capacity to connect hundreds of devices simultaneously. The gateway increases bandwidth in the home by 3X to support the massive influx of connected devices. 

The survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18 and older in November 2021.

PHILADELPHIA—To help recognize National Veterans and Military Families Month, Comcast has announced it would install free WiFi in up to 100 veteran-focused facilities as part of its expanding Lift Zones program. 

Lift Zones provide free WiFi access outside the home in neighborhood community centers and are designed to complement Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, which provides low-cost broadband to eligible consumers, including veterans, inside the home. 

Both efforts are part of Project UP, Comcast’s ten year, $1 billion commitment to advance digital equity. 

“The Internet is a fundamental tool to participate in today’s increasingly digital economy,” said Carol Eggert, senior vice president of military and veteran affairs at Comcast NBCUniversal. “Today’s announcement will provide even more Internet access for veterans and military families. Doing so will enable them to participate in workforce development programs, access their well-deserved healthcare benefits, and foster meaningful connections with friends, family, and their fellow veterans.”

Comcast has already installed nearly 25 Lift Zones inside veteran-serving organizations and it will continue over the next several months to work with members of the military community to identify additional locations. 

Examples of three organizations that will be installed with free WiFi include, the Veterans Leadership Program in Pittsburgh; Do Good Multnomah in Portland, Oregon and Alpha Omega Veterans Services, Inc., in Memphis, Tennessee. 

ORANGE, CONN.—With last month’s approval of the 5G SA standard, it’s time to take examine what this means for broadcasters and other media organizations. We’ll begin with a look at the different releases.

The first portion of the 5G standard that was released late in 2017 was called “5G NSA” which stands for non-standalone. In this version of the specification, 5G devices shared the same infrastructure as 4G LTE known as the EPC (Evolved Packet Core). This interim step allowed product development and live technology trials to go forward without requiring vast amounts of new software and back-end systems to be designed prior to deployment. This is also likely to become a tool for accelerating deployments in areas with widespread LTE coverage.

[Read: Five Ways 5G Will Change Television]

The second release of the standard occurred in June, and is called 5G SA (for stand-alone). In this scenario, 5G user devices and base stations work together without relying on 4G LTE. In the long term, SA deployments should tend to dominate NSA ones, due to the wider range of device capabilities and services supported by the newer standard.

Overlaying all of this is 5G NR (for New Radio), which specifies a much more flexible set of channel configurations and raft of new RF frequencies. As NR-compliant devices come onto the market, many new applications open up, including higher bandwidths, lower latencies, and support for enormous populations of low-power, low-bitrate devices that are often called the Internet of Things (IoT). Not all devices will have all these capabilities, but taken together, the 5G is much more flexible than any mobile standard that has come before.

THE EFFECT ON MEDIA COMPANIES

Overall, 5G deployments should be positive for content providers, which are prodigious consumers of bandwidth. The impact of 5G on delivering content to viewers will be similar in nature to the ongoing upgrades of fiber-optic connections to households today. More bandwidth at a lower price will mean that higher quality signals can be delivered to a larger population of viewers. Others have written about the possible areas of cooperation and competition between 5G and ATSC 3.0 so we won’t go into that here.

Where 5G technology gets really interesting for broadcasters is in live contribution network for news and sports applications. With today’s limited bandwidths available on 4G LTE systems, video signals need to be heavily compressed and then spread across multiple channels using a technology known as cellular bonding. As new 5G infrastructure becomes available, wider bandwidths will be supported allowing higher bit rate video signals to be sent over fewer radio channels. Less video compression will also mean less delay, allowing these signals to be more user-friendly for two-way interviews and other time sensitive applications.

GIGABIT WIRELESS LINKS

One of the ways that 5G will be able to achieve the high bit rate links that are part of the specification is through the use of new, high frequency RF spectrum. There simply isn’t enough radio spectrum available at the lower frequencies (those below 6 GHz) to provide high data rate connections to hundreds of simultaneous users.

To take advantage of this new spectrum to deliver gigabit data speeds over a wireless link, several different technologies are required, including massive MIMO, millimeter wave radio frequencies, and advanced bandwidth management. Initially, for reasons described below, deployments will be in fixed wireless applications, but mobile gigabit links should be coming in the future.

Basic MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) is a feature of many wireless routers today, where two or more antennas are deployed at one or both ends of a radio link to improve the data throughput of a single radio channel. Massive MIMO improves on this approach by increasing the number of base station antennas into the hundreds. This provides even more bandwidth for mobile devices, which can also have their own set of multiple antennas. Note that antennas can be made smaller as frequencies increase, making compact handset and modem design easier.

Millimeter wave radio frequencies are in the range of 30 to 300 GHz, where wavelengths range from 10 to 1 millimeter. One big benefit of working in this frequency band is that there is a lot of radio spectrum available. In the United States, an 850 Mhz band between 27.5 and 28.35 GHz has been set aside for licensed use, as well as two bands totaling 3 GHz between 37 and 40 GHz. Another 7 GHz of unlicensed spectrum is available between 64 and 71 GHz. Other countries have provided significant chunks of bandwidth in similar frequency bands, so a worldwide market for equipment will fortunately exist.

Certain challenges will hinder the use of the millimeter band for mobile applications. One issue is the shorter propagation distances that can be realized with at the higher frequencies, which means that more base stations will be needed to cover the same geographic area. One proposal that is being discussed is using lamp posts along city streets to act as cell towers, which will certainly drive a lot of new construction. A second challenge is the difficulty that higher frequencies have in penetrating the walls of buildings and foliage, which means a huge difference between line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight propagation models. Another challenge is weather, with rain and fog causing significant decreases and signal propagation.

The ability to prioritize selected categories of traffic will also be important for video contribution applications. Once carriers have the proper technical (and legal) frameworks in place, they will be able to provide dedicated high-bitrate channels to users who need them and are willing to pay a premium price. This will help avoid some of the difficulties experienced by today’s bonded cellular applications where large concentrations of mobile devices consume all of the available bandwidth.

DEPLOYMENT TIMEFRAME

Now that the 5G standard is in place, deployment should speed up. Device manufacturers now have a firm spec to use when developing base stations and handsets, which should start appearing on the market in significant quantities later this year and into early 2019. Also, carriers can begin the task of designing coverage plans for their service areas. For mobile applications, most of the focus will be on frequencies below 6 GHz for the time being.

All of the major wireless carriers in the United States have announced their rollout plans for 5G that began in either 2018 or 2019. Initially these deployments will be limited to a handful of cities for each carrier and most likely will focus on those areas with the highest user densities. Once user devices that support the full 5G standard become available, the pace should pick up considerably. However, considering the huge geographies that need to be retrofitted, it will likely be well into the 2020’s before most of the U.S. is covered with 5G service. So the good news for media companies is that 5G is coming, but we may all need to grab a cup of coffee, “take five” and be patient while all the pieces are put in place.

Wes Simpson is the president of Telecom Product Consulting. He can be reached viaTV Technology.

Roku is wagering its strong branding and messaging of connectivity simplicity will resonate with consumers as it enters wireless home audio for the first time.

The manufacturer of streaming-video devices for cord cutters unveiled the Roku TV Wireless Speakers on Monday, a pair of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth bookshelf speakers the company said are designed to work exclusively with its co-branded Roku TVs.

It also introduced the Roku Touch, a Wi-Fi tabletop remote with voice control and playlist-launch buttons.

The TV Wireless Speakers are the company’s first products to employ the Roku Connect software and branding. First announced during CES in January, the Roku Connect software also lets OEMs build home entertainment devices that connect wirelessly to Roku OS devices and other Roku Connect devices within a network.

The devices will ship as a bundle—two speakers, the Touch remote and a Roku TV Voice remote—for a $199 suggested retail. The company will also offer $20-50 discounts to consumers who preorder before they become available on Oct. 14.

Roku, which partners with 10 manufacturers to build its OS into co-branded TVs, promotes its devices and OS as simple to set up and navigate. It intends to bring this same message to consumers for audio, with Lloyd Klarke, Roku’s director of product management, telling TWICE it’s expected to appeal to consumers intimidated by the complexity of A/V receivers or connected soundbars.

The speakers, which receive power via a wall outlet, are designed to work exclusively with Roku TVs, with setup completed on the TV display through the Roku OS. They also boast volume-leveling and dialog-enhancement technology intended to compensate for uneven sound quality.

The company first teamed with TCL and Hisense in 2014 for Roku TVs, and models are now additionally available under the Element, Hitachi, Insignia, Magnavox, Philips, RCA and Sharp brands in the U.S. (They are also sold under the Sanyo brand in Canada.)

Klarke cited data from IHS stating that one in four smart TVs sold in the first quarter in the U.S. were Roku TVs. According to The NPD Group’s Checkout E-commerce tracker, Roku was the No. 3 online seller of streaming-media players for the 12 months ending May 2018, with 16 percent of dollar share and 19 percent of unit share. 

Audio has become a growing central focus for Roku, Klarke said, noting the company’s 2017 purchase of Dynastrom Audio, a developer of wireless audio technology.