Comcast has debuted a new internet option for Wi-Fi with cellular back-up using Verizon’s mobile network, so that customers don’t have to lose their home Wi-Fi access in a service or power outage.
For $7 a month for 36 months or an upfront payment of $252, Xfinity customers can get “Storm-Ready Wi-Fi,” which relies on Verizon’s LTE network to provide a cellular connection, a Comcast representative confirmed.
“With severe weather impacting many parts of the country, there has never been a greater need for a back-up connectivity solution,” Comcast said in a release.
The service, which Comcast says is the first of its kind, is supported on the tri-band Xfinity XB7 and XB8 Wi-Fi 6 gateway devices, which double as Wi-Fi extenders and have unlimited cellular data and a rechargeable, four-hour battery backup. Customers have to have an Xfinity Internet plan with speeds of 800 Mbps or higher.
The gateways automatically switch the Wi-Fi connection to the cellular network during a service or power outage, according to Comcast. Customers can tell if the service is running on cellular because they’ll get a notification, and there will be indicators from the LEDs on the gateway itself: One will turn solid white and another will blink amber. Speeds on the cellular network will also be slower. When the cellular backup is being used, speeds drop down to 30 Mbps downlink and 7 Mbps in the uplink.
“With so much of our daily lives dependent on WiFi connectivity, we knew our customers needed a product that could help keep them connected no matter what life throws at them – even during a storm,” said Emily Waldorf, SVP of consumer internet services at Comcast Cable. “Storm-Ready WiFi is that solution. Not only does Storm-Ready WiFi extend coverage to deliver our best-in-class WiFi to hard-to-reach corners of the home, but it also gives customers the peace of mind that their connection at home can continue even when the power is out.”
Comcast said the gateways and service are available for purchase as of today.
