Comcast is the United States' largest telecommunications company. XFINITY is its fiber-optic network that offers digital cable television, high-speed internet access and telephone service. AT&T;, the country's largest purveyor of landline telephone service, offers U-Verse -- a fiber-optic network that connects your digital television, landline telephone and Internet service through a central "brain" called the Wireless Gateway.
Television Services
XFINITY offers a variety of packages that include on-demand programming, remote DVR access and the option to watch shows recorded to the DVR on any television set in the house. All packages that include HD access also include 3-D and on-demand access. U-Verse's digital cable service package options vary from those that include basic local cable channels only to premium packages that include 410 channels or more. DVR service, HD and 3-D access, as well as sports, international or movie channels are all available as add-ons. The Wireless Gateway makes it possible to watch programs recorded to the DVR on any television in the house.
Internet Services
Comcast's XFINITY high-speed Internet service plans are available in a range of speeds as fast as 20 Mbps. All service plans come with 2 MB of personal web space and up to 10 email accounts with 10 GB of storage apiece, as well as Constant Guard, a suite of security programs that protect your computer and information from viruses and identity thieves. U-Verse's Wireless Gateway also connects your Internet service to your cable service and allows you to control your DVR remotely in addition to Wi-Fi enabled devices such as networked printers. Download speeds range from 3 Mbps to 24 Mbps, and all service plans come with 11 email accounts and an Internet security suite that features anti-virus and anti-spyware utilities
Phone Services
XFINITY customer are able to remotely check landline voice mail from smartphones or computers with Internet access, and all plans include a set of standard features that include caller ID and call waiting. Many plans are available, from local calls only to unlimited long distance. U-Verse also allows you to see your voicemails remotely from your smartphone or computer, as well as to choose which one to listen to first. The Wireless Gateway is equipped with an emergency telephone backup battery. Plans range from 250 minutes to unlimited, from local calls only to long distance, and all of them include caller ID, call waiting and other standard features.
Customer Service
Comcast offers a customer support guarantee to all XFINITY customers, which includes a 30-day, money-back guarantee, an account credit for service provider lateness and quick resolution of routine issues. AT&T; offers U-Verse customers 24-hour live chat and phone tech support. It also has an extensive customer support section on its website, which includes video tutorials.
References
- AT&T;: U-Verse
- Comcast: Welcome to XFINITY
Photo Credits
- flashfilm/Lifesize/Getty Images