Comcast Launches Xfinity Mobile For Smartphone Service

Comcast is making moves into a new telecom market. The company announced Thursday details about Xfinity Mobile, its newest program that offers phones and mobile service to customers. The new service is intended to be an additional complement to Comcast’s existing options for customers and is expected to launch later this year.

Xfinity Mobile will operate as a mobile virtual network operator similarly to how smaller wireless companies use networks from larger carriers. In Xfinity’s case, it’ll draw from Verizon’s existing wireless network. By default, phones on Xfinity Mobile will connect to Comcast’s existing network of Wi-Fi hotspots across its network footprint. Once you’re out of range of a hotspot, your phone will then connect to Verizon’s network.

Read: AT&T, Comcast, Verizon Promise Not To Sell Customer Data

Xfinity Mobile isn’t intended to be a direct competitor to market leaders like AT&T and Verizon, as the service will only be available as a bundle add-on for existing Xfinity subscribers. However, Comcast plans to offer competitive pricing for the service.

For unlimited data, monthly service will cost $65 per line for up to five lines or $45 for customers on Xfinity’s higher-end X1 packages. As with most unlimited offerings from carriers, though, speeds will be throttled after you pass 20GB of data use in a month. Less data-heavy users can also sign up for Xfinity Mobile’s non-unlimited data plan, which costs $12 per GB. At launch, Comcast plans to include phones from companies including Apple, Samsung and LG.

Potential Xfinity Mobile subscribers will also benefit from Comcast’s other service offerings. As Business Insider noted, Comcast’s own video offerings won’t count against Xfinity Mobile’s data cap. The feature is an example of zero-rating, where internet mobile and home providers give favorable treatment to their own services.

Read: Xfinity Streaming Cable Service To Launch For Cord-Cutters

The move into the mobile space might seem like an unexpected detour for Comcast, but the company has taken increasing ventures into other markets within the past year. Along with Xfinity Mobile, Comcast plans to launch Xfinity Instant TV, a similar bundle add-on targeted towards streamers and potential cable cord-cutters. Mobile carrier Sprint has also been tied to Comcast as a possible acquisition target.