Comcast has announced that it has launched 20 free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on its Xfinity X1 at no extra cost.
The launch comes at a time when a number of pay TV operators have been adding free ad-supported streaming services and bundling those with their other programming.
Comcast first brought these FAST channels to the Xfinity Stream app in April, and then in May they became an important part of its Now TV offering.
The new channels, include NBC News Now and 19 Xumo-branded channels, will be integrated into the X1 channel guide, offering customers a completely seamless browsing experience between the channels they pay for and the new FAST lineup, the operator said.
Comcast said that customers can use the voice remote to quickly access these channels within the guide by saying “free streaming channels.”
“Our strategy is centered around value not volume, and we are focused on bringing FAST channels into the experiences that are additive to the majority of our customers’ lineups," said Vito Forlenza, vice president, entertainment apps. ”By leveraging voice and discovery technology within our global technology platform, these internet-delivered channels will also appear throughout the X1 experience just like all the other channels we offer.”
