How Comcast plans to take over the world; NBC jumps Super Bowl ad prices 15% [Roundup]

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Verizon Wireless-Comcast Deal Meets Political Resistance  [Wall Street Journal]
• Police: Man Posing As Comcast Technician Takes Cable Box [WUSA] — In Maryland
• Wall Street Reflects on Comcast-NBCUniversal Ahead of Deal’s First Anniversary [Hollywood Reporter]
• Comcast CEO looking to expand global reach [Philadelphia Inquirer]
• Comcast Signs Multiyear Extension With Amdocs [Multichannel News] – “Vendor Also Cites Strong Performance in Europe, Emerging Markets”

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Comcast sales reps to sell in Verizon stores, Bloomberg takes swing at NBC merger [Roundup]

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• If Comcast can’t make it in the wireless biz, who can? [Gigaom]
• New in Your Wireless Store: The Cable Guy [Media Decoder: New York Times] — “A pending $3.6 billion transfer of spectrum between cable companies and Verizon Wireless will give Comcast, the nation’s largest cable company, a presence in select Verizon retail locations. Comcast salesmen will offer Verizon customers special offers on cellphones and other deals if they sign up for Comcast’s Xfinity service.”
• Bloomberg jabs at Comcast on anniversary of NBC deal approval [LA Times: Company Town]
• Verizon, Comcast Send Marketing Deals to FCC in Airwaves Review [Bloomberg]
• VIDEO: Comcast Xfinity Commercials Interrupt Giants Vs. 49ers Game (UPDATED) [Half Smokes] — in D.C. market

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Comcast is the fastest broadband provider in U.S., joins marketing forces with Verizon [Roundup]

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Comcast is the fastest broadband provider in the U.S. [Gigaom]
• Comcast Leads $5M Round In Subscription Service For Kids Activities Kiwi Crate [Tech Crunch] — “Kiwi Crate, a subscription service for kids activities, has raised $5 million in new funding led by Comcast Ventures with existing investors First Round Capital” and others.
• Comcast, Verizon launch joint marketing effort [Herald Net] — “Consumers can sign up for Verizon wireless products through Comcast, or add Comcast’s home Internet, television or telephone service through Verizon. The new joint service is being rolled out initially only in Seattle and Portland.” Says Fierce Cable, Comcast “is pursuing a strategy similar to its satellite TV and telco rivals.”
• Comcast raising cable rates twice in 10-month period [Boston Globe] — in Boston
• Comcast, Verizon launch joint marketing effort [Sentinel and Enterprise] — In rural Massachusetts, Comcast is being asked to extend broadband service beyond its contract
• Clarifying Comcast’s Spectrum Position [Comcast Voices] — Says Philly Tech News “Comcast EVP David Cohen tries to walk back Vice Chairman Michael Angelakis’ comment at a Citi conference early this month that “[w]e never really intended to build that spectrum”.”

What move from Comcast may come in conflict with its support of SOPA? [Roundup]

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

DEFINITE READS

• Disney, Comcast And Why TV Everywhere Alone Is Not Enough [paidContent]
• Comcast-Disney Pact Signals More Deals Aimed at Fighting Netflix [Bloomberg]
• Comcast, AstraZeneca in coalition to control health benefits spending [Philadelphia Business Journal]
• Comcast Completes DNSSEC Deployment [Comcast Voices] — “I am pleased to announce that Comcast, the largest ISP in the U.S., is the first large ISP in the North America to have fully implemented Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC),” which precipitated the end of its domain helper program. Then TechDirt does the important deed of tying this to its support of SOPA.

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Comcast inks another 10-year content deal with Disney, launches NBC sports network [Roundup]

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get anemail subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Disney and Comcast Link Up for Another 10 Years [All Things Digital] — “Comcast has re-upped its distribution deal with Disney, which means the country’s largest cable company will continue to pipe programming from ABC, ESPN and other channels into its subscribers’ homes for another 10 years.” More from Broadcasting and Cable and the announcement from the Comcast blog.
• Comcast and NBC launch sports network [Inquirer] — “The new outlet will boost programming and distribution of the former Versus. Costs could rise.”
• Comcast’s NBC Plans to Build West Coast TV News Headquarters [Bloomberg BusinessWeek]

Comcast-Spectacor sued for $2M over 76ers sale finder’s fee [ROUNDUP]

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Pair sue Comcast-Spectacor over $2M finder’s fee in 76ers sale, say they brought in buyer [Associated Press via Washington Post] -  “Two sports executives have sued former Philadelphia 76ers owner Comcast-Spectacor seeking a $2 million finder’s fee over the team’s October sale.”
• Cable Providers to Offer ‘HBO Go’ Service [New York Times] — Comcast had offered to its customers earlier in the year, followed now Time Warner Cable and Cablevision
• Comcast exec named to bank board: Angelakis to remain at cabler while serving Federal Reserve [Chicago Tribune] — Comcast CFO Michael Angelakis

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‘Women work harder:’ Amy Banse Comcast Ventures [ROUNDUP]

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• F.C.C. Judge Rules for Tennis Channel in Dispute With Comcast [New York Times] — See the comment from the Comcast blog here.
• Action United survey cites barriers to Comcast Internet Essentials digital access program [Technically Philly] — More from the Inquirer here.
• Comcast CEO to pay $500,000 anti-trust fine [Phillyburbs.com] –  “Comcast Corp. chairman and CEO Brian Roberts will pay a $500,000 fine to settle charges that he violated reporting and waiting period requirements before purchasing shares of the Philadelphia cable company.”
• Comcast Ventures’ Banse Says Women `Work Harder [Bloomberg] — “Amy Banse, managing director of Comcast Ventures”

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Can Comcast be as mighty as Google? [Roundup]

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Can Comcast Be As Mighty As Google? [Philadelphia magazine] — A profile of NBC President Steve Burke
• There were more than 327 volunteers for Comcast Cares Day in Haddington/Overbrook [PhillyStat Twitter]
• Comcast expands IPv6 services into four more states [Network World]
• NFL signs TV deals worth billions with Fox, NBC and CBS [LA Times: Company Town'
• Demo Day at DreamIt Ventures Features Minority-led Startups Sponsored by Comcast [Comcast blog] — We covered DreamIt Demo Day here
• Comcast Ventures Eyeing Startups in the Second Screen Engagement, Social TV Arena [App Market]
• Raúl Valentín Joins Comcast As Vice President of Talent Acquisition [Business Wire press release]
• Bright House, Comcast, Verizon team up on local ad sales in Tampa [Fierce Cable] — “Bright House Networks is teaming up with rival Verizon to sell local cable advertising in the Tampa, Fla., market.”
• MAYOR NUTTER CONGRATULATES HOLMESBURG TIGERS FOR WINNING AYF CHAMPIONSHIP [City of Philadelphia press release] — Comcast donated money toward the Holmesburg Boys Club Tigers in Northeast Philadelphia participating in the American Youth Football championship.
• Former Comcast manager starts job at rival [Augusta Chronicle]

Comcast to start selling Verizon mobile in early 2012, described as ‘quadruple play’ [ROUNDUP]

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Comcast to start selling Verizon mobile early 2012 [Reuters]
• Comcast execs: Verizon deal to bring the ‘quadruple play’ [Digital Trends] — “Late last week, Verizon Wireless signed a deal to purchase 122 spectrum licenses from SpectrumCo, a joint venture between Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks, for $3.6 billion. As part of the deal, which awaits approval from the Federal Communications Commission, the Comcast will now be able to sell Verizon Wireless service as part of their communications packages.”
• More on Comcast-Verizon deal [Philly Tech News] Good roundup of other voice on the deal, which is being billed as having the potential for as big an impact as any other in the industry.
• Comcast CFO: NBC Universal integration continues to go ‘really well’ [Hollywood Reporter] — Says Michael Angelakis 10 months after the deal closed. H/T PTN

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Black employees in Chicago accuse Comcast of discrimination [Roundup]

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an email subscription for our weekly Comcast roundup or other news updates.

• Comcast Tangled in Discrimination Suit [BET] — “Several of the company’s black employees in Chicago say that they were required to install defective and insect-infested equipment in customers’ homes. ” More from the Chicago Tribune here. Officially, the company denies the allegations.
• Key NBC executive Marc Graboff to leave the network [Company Town: LA Times] — “Marc Graboff, president of NBC’s West Coast business operations and the TV network’s longtime consigliere, is leaving the company” after diminishing role, following Comcast’s takeover.
• Q&A: How Comcast is adjusting to our changing TV habits [GeekWire] — “Interview with Tom Blaxland, senior director of product management for Comcast Interactive Media” says Philly Tech News
• Comcast gives CFO Angelakis new contract, title [Philadelphia Business Journal] — “Michael J. Angelakis that promotes him from executive vice president and chief financial officer to vice chairman and CFO.”

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