If you are a Xfinity Mobile customer, you may have heard about their lower price offer. If you are considering this, there is something you need to be aware of. In recent years, Comcast has been showing growth with wireless offering. Now, they are introducing a new, fourth generation service. This is lower cost and that is attractive. However, there is a new limitation.
First, let’s pull the camera back and see where Comcast was yesterday, where they are today and where they are heading tomorrow.
Xfinity customer service and offerings have improved in recent years. That wasn’t difficult since their customer satisfaction was dismal in the past, along with the entire cable TV industry.
In fact, behavior showed they never cared about the customer at all. They focused totally on the investor.
The reason was, there was no competition, so there was no threat of losing the customer. And without that risk, the extra cost in manpower and technology would negatively impact the stock value to the investor.
That lead to a poor customer satisfaction ranking as users built resentment over many years.
In recent years, competition has increased, and technology has changed. Today, Comcast competes with a growing number of companies and a wider variety of technologies.
Comcast Xfinity transformation and growth in recent years
They started losing market share and the writing on the wall said the forecast was continued loss.
So, to stop this ongoing loss of traditional cable TV customers, they started making some changes.
· They introduced the new brand name Xfinity, to distract users.
· They started taking better care of the customer.
· They started delivering content over the Internet, just like their competitors.
· They started delivering content over wireless devices to smartphones and tablets.
· They entered wireless through Xfinity Mobile and created a sticky-bundle.
· They acquired NBC Universal for news and entertainment.
Comcast Xfinity building sticky bundle to stabilize customer base
Yes, recent years have been very busy for Comcast who has managed to continue to show growth under the leadership of CEO Brian Roberts.
It is important to remember that Comcast is a large, publicly-owned, family business, run by the Roberts family. It started with Ralph Roberts, then passed to Brian Roberts, and will likely continue to be passed down to his children.
Things have been getting better for users in recent years.
Xfinity Mobile users no longer able to use smartphone as wi-fi hotspot
Xfinity Mobile is a wireless reseller and uses the Verizon Wireless network, like other MVNO companies do as well.
This service is good quality and fairly priced, which helps them attract and maintain users and build on their sticky-bundle.
The good news is this new, fourth generation, lower-priced Xfinity Mobile offering will save customers money.
The catch is users will lose some of what they currently use and expect from their wireless service.
So, before you are tempted to make this change to save a few dollars, be sure you understand what you will be losing in the process.
What customers will lose switching to new Xfinity Mobile plan
What you will lose is the ability to use your iPhone or Android smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot to connect to the Internet and continue to work, when there is no other option.
They say users can connect to the Internet through public hot spots. While this is true, and while this does work, there are two weak links in this chain.
One, public Wi-Fi is not everywhere, and two, it is not secure like using your own smartphone to connect your computer or tablet.
There are many times I need to use my secure smartphone as my wi-fi hotspot.
Example, when working from home, I am using Comcast Internet. When their service is interrupted, which happens too frequently, I must use my smartphone to connect to the Internet and work. Otherwise, I must drive to the nearest Starbucks to work using their Wi-Fi.
This new Xfinity Mobile plan would no longer let me connect using a smartphone.
When Comcast internet goes down, users can’t access it with smartphone
Or, when using a Wi-Fi hotspot, I always switch to my iPhone as a private Wi-Fi hotspot when security is more important.
Or when travelling, there is often no, public wi-fi hotspot to be found. And if found, it is not secure.
So, this new Xfinity Mobile plan, while costing a bit less, impacts users who connect their laptop or tablet with their smartphone.
If things like connectivity and security are not important to you, then this 4th Generation service may be an attractive offer.
However, if this is important to you, then I would advise you to think twice. You don’t want to lose valuable features you depend on in order to save a few dollars.
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