Comcast's Roberts: The Set-Top Box Isn't Going To Disappear

Aside from the poor economy hanging over consumers' heads, Comcast is facing greater competition than AT&T and Verizon. A small number of customers appear to be cutting the cord as well and "going over the air," said Brian Roberts, the company's CEO, during the company's earnings call. In addition to the fact that the number of digital video service subs fell 52 percent in the quarter, the costs related to the pending NBC Universal deal also pushed profits down. But as Roberts noted during the call, with the NBCU financing done, and the number of subs inching up over the latter part of Q3, things were starting to look up. He also noted that, despite its own advancements in the "TV Everywhere" concept, the company expected to rely on the set-top box for a long time to come. As retransmission consent disputes between programmers and distributors have escalated in recent months, Roberts said that the pending joint venture with NBC Universal could have a calming influence on what have been increasingly nasty negotiations.