Comcast Focused on Connectivity

Comcast Chief Financial Officer Michael Cavanagh said the company has no plans to subsidize the video business with its broadband service -- which has seen record gains over the past several quarters -- adding that the company sees the traditional video/broadband bundle transforming in the future. “Our strategy in video is that video is important because video is a great use of high-speed data,” Cavanagh said, adding that the focus is on connectivity. “...Today, we look at video as important because it's a customer need and because we're the broadband provider and because we have the legacy of investing in X1, maintaining a position of helping in an ever more streaming world, helping customers navigate the video that they choose to buy while offering a bundle that we continue to think for the right customers, is a great value. But we're not going to force it upon you if you don't choose to see it that way.” He pointed to Comcast’s broadband-only service Flex, which offers connectivity to streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video as well as some Comcast video products, as being a key component. “We're not wedded to being necessarily the seller of a bundle to you in video, but we would very much, if you appreciate either one of our alternatives, a bundle with X1 or a platform approach for video navigation aggregation through Flex,” Cavanagh said.