INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Comcast today is officially launching its own Wi-Fi extender devices called xFi Pods that help to address problems with weak Wi-Fi signals
in parts of a customer home due to things like the use of building materials that disrupt signals, or even just the home design
The launch follows Comcast announcement last year that it was investingin the mesh router maker Plume, which offers plug-in &pods& that help
extend Wi-Fi signals.
The company said that it would launch its own xFi pods that pair with Comcast gateways to its own customers as a
result of that deal.
Those pods were initially available in select markets, including Boston, Chicago and Denver, ahead of today nationwide
launch.
The pods themselves are hexagon-shopped devices that plug in to any electrical outlet in the home, and then pair with Comcast xFi
Wireless Gateway or the xFi Advanced Gateway to help Wi-Fi signals extend to the hard-to-reach areas of the home.
The pods work with the
Comcast Gateways to continuously monitor and optimize the Wi-Fi connections, Comcast explains, while its cloud-based management service
evaluates the home Wi-Fi environment to make sure all the connected devices are using the best signal bands and Wi-Fi channels
Plus, the devices are smart enough to self-monitor their own performance, diagnose issues and &heal& themselves, as needed, says
Comcast.
However, early reviews of Plume pods were mixed
CNET said the system was slow and the pods were too expensive, for example
But Engadget found the system had the lowest latency, compared with competitors, and helped devices roam more easily and accurately.
Comcast
has addressed some of the earlier complaints
The pods are now much more affordable, for starters
While they&ve been selling on the Plume website for $329 for a six-pack, Comcast six-pack is $199
A three-pack is also available for $119, instead of the $179 when bought directly from Plume.
More importantly, perhaps, is that Comcast
system is different from the pods featured in earlier reviews.
While Plume technology is a component of the new pods, they are not Plume
devices, Comcast tells TechCrunch
Instead, Comcast licensed the Plume technology, then reconfigured some aspects of it in order to integrate xFi
It also designed its own pods in-house.
In addition, Comcast engineers developed new firmware and new software in-house to make it easy to
pair the pods with a Comcast Gateway.
The Comcast xFi pods can be bought from its own website, the xFi app and in some Xfinity retail
stores.
The xFi app (for iOS and Android) is also how customers can manage and view the connection status of the pods.
Comcast says it will
make buying pods even easier later this year by offering a monthly payment plan.
The company has been upgrading its Wi-Fi offering in recent
months as a means of staying competitive
Last year it launched the Xfinity xFi platform to help customers better manage their home Wi-Fi network with features like device
monitoring, troubleshooting, &bedtime& schedules for families, internet pause and otherparental controls.
Comcast declined to say how many
pods were sold in its first trial markets, only that the response so far has been positive and boosted the company Net Promoter Score as a
result.
Image credits: Comcast
