Thanks to its analog-to-digital conversion project, Comcast has added 81 new TV networks to parts of its California Region, which includes Sacramento.
Comcast started its all-digital conversation initiative, which it calls Project Cavalry, in 2008, and finished the conversion in the San Francisco area at the start of this year. With the additional bandwidth from converting analog channels to digital, Comcast has been able to offer moreHD and international choices, as well as DOCSIS 3.0 speeds.
Today’s announcement covers 20 communities in Comcast’s Capital Region. The channel launches, which include 61 HD networks, 14 international networks and six SD channels will come in waves with the first today and the second in August. Comcast is launching the new channels under its Xfinity TV brand.
“We’ve heard from customers that they can’t get enough HD and multicultural programming, so we’re excited to exponentially increase our offering of those networks and give even more value to our customers as part of our digital upgrade,” said Curt Henninger, senior vice president of Comcast’s California Region. “These channel launches are about delivering on Comcast’s promise to customers that by converting to digital, we could offer more of the products and services they want, right away.”
Starting today, the new programming will be available to residential homes and businesses in the following cities: Sacramento, Antelope, Camino, Carmichael, Citrus Heights, Davis, Elk Grove, Elverta, Fair Oaks, Folsom, Galt, Gold River, Manteca, Mather, North Highlands, Orangevale, Rancho Cordova, Rescue, Roseville and Rio Linda. Davis and Roseville were already carrying some of the HD networks.
The new HD networks will include: AMC HD, Animal Planet HD, BET HD, Biography Channel HD, Bravo HD, Cartoon Network HD, CMT HD, CNBC HD, CNN HD, CNN Headline News HD, Comedy Central HD, Disney XD HD, E! HD, Encore HD, ESPN 3D, ESPN News HD, ESPNU HD, Fox News Channel HD, Fuse HD, FX-West HD, G4 HD, Hallmark Channel HD, Hallmark Movie Channel HD, HBO Comedy HD, HBO Latino HD, HBO Zone HD, History Channel HD, HSN HD, IFC HD, ION HD, Lifetime HD, Lifetime Movie Network HD, MGM HD, MLB Network HD, MSNBC HD, MTV HD, NBA League Pass Team HD, NBA TV HD, NFL RedZone HD, NHL Network HD, Nickelodeon HD, Planet Green HD, QVC HD, Spike HD, Starz Comedy HD, Starz Edge HD, Starz Kids and Family HD, Style HD, TCM Turner Classic Movies HD, Tennis Channel HD, Thriller MAX HD, ActionMAX HD, Travel Channel HD, truTV HD, TV One HD, VH1 HD, WE HD, The Weather Channel HD, and two NHL/MLB League Pass HD networks.
Comcast customers who subscriber to basic analog tiers will have new programming options as well with six new standard definition (SD) networks including college sports channel ESPN U, art and culture network Ovation TV, The Africa Channel, Nat Geo Wild, CMT Pure Country, and English-language Latino network Si TV.
The 14 new international channels include Antenna Satellite (Greek), Band Internacional (Brazilian), C1R (Russian), Deutsche Welle (German), GMA Life (Filipino), MYX, PFC 100% Futebol (Brazilian), RTPi (Portuguese), STAR India GOLD (South Asian), STAR India NEWS (South Asian), STAR ONE (South Asian), TV Globo (Brazilian), tvK (Korean) and VIJAY (South Asian).
Through the use of digital terminal adapters (DTAs), Comcast has aggressively pursued Project Cavalry. Comcast’s goal is to have the analog-to-digital project completed in 80 percent of its systems by year’s end.
