Comcast adds same-day Xfinity Gateway delivery in select markets
New Xfinity internet customers in nearly 20 markets can get Comcast Gateway equipment delivered within hours or pick it up at stores.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
2 min read
Comcast is rolling out same-day delivery for Xfinity Gateway equipment, cutting the wait for new internet customers who need a router before they can get online. The launch matters for households switching service or setting up a new connection, where shipping delays can leave customers without home internet for several days.
The company said new Xfinity internet customers in nearly 20 markets can choose same-day delivery for the Xfinity Gateway during checkout. Comcast said the equipment can arrive at a customer’s door within hours of ordering service.
The initial markets include Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Nashville, Philadelphia and San Francisco, Comcast said. The company did not list every launch market in the announcement.
How the setup works
After the Gateway arrives, customers can install the equipment themselves and activate service through the Xfinity app, according to Comcast. The company is pitching the option as a way to get customers connected the same day they sign up, rather than waiting for equipment to ship.
Eric Jagher, Comcast’s Xfinity connectivity head, said home internet should match the speed customers expect from other services. “In a world where almost everything is instant, home internet shouldn’t be an exception,” Jagher said, according to Comcast. He said the service gives customers access to connectivity when they need it.
Comcast described Xfinity as the first major wired internet provider to offer same-day Wi-Fi connectivity. That claim comes from Comcast; the company also describes its network as the nation’s fastest and most reliable.
Pickup option and expansion plans
Customers outside the delivery launch areas may still have a same-day option. Comcast said same-day pickup is available at 700 Xfinity stores across the United States for prospective customers who cannot yet get the Gateway delivered to their door on the day they order.
The company said it plans to bring the delivery service to every region where Xfinity is available by early next year. Comcast did not provide a market-by-market schedule for that expansion.
The new option focuses on the equipment handoff, a frequent bottleneck in starting wired home internet service. For eligible customers, Comcast said the checkout flow will show the same-day Gateway delivery choice after they sign up for Xfinity internet.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.