Comcast is planning to take on the likes of Netflix and Amazon with its own standalone video streaming service.
Bloomberg reported Monday that the new service would focus on Comcast’s NBCUniversal shows and launch within 12-to-18 months. That’s when certain restrictions related to the cable giant’s 2011 acquisition of NBCUniversal will expire.
The service could include shows from Comcast’s cable channels like Bravo and USA, and also offer live streams of those networks, along with live sports content. Many of the details about what exactly would be part of the service and how much it would cost are still unclear, Bloomberg noted.
Comcast’s interest in a standalone streaming service is not surprising given what competitors like Netflix, Amazon, CBS, HBO and others have rolled out in recent years. Amazon, for example, continues to invest in its Prime video streaming product and will dedicate an estimated $4.5 billion on video content this year.
Comcast is trying to keep up with rapidly-changing viewer habits, with many customers “cutting the cord” and instead opting to pay for streaming services. The company last year announced a deal to bring the Netflix app to its X1 devices and in February added YouTube to the X1 platform.
Comcast is also exploring new services in other verticals. This week it unveiled its new Xfinity Mobile wireless service for smartphones — making a pitch to its customers to ditch their existing carriers and double-down with the cable giant, saving money by bundling a cellular plan with other Xfinity services.
