Xfinity TV App
Comcast has decided to charge the customers additional monthly fees for its Roku app for Xfinity TV. The company is releasing a beta version of the Xfinity TV app for the Roku devices. Through this beta version, the company is seeking feedbacks from the customers before officially launching the Xfinity TV app for Roku devices later this year.
The app is available only for Comcast subscribers through the company’s broadband internet connection. However, it is to be clarified that Xfinity subscribers do not have to pay for using the Roku app during the beta testing period.
After the official launch of the app, Comcast will charge additional outlet charges for the Roku devices. The current additional outlet service fees per set top box is around $9.95 per month. Using substitute equipment by customers such as TiVo will receive a credit amounting to $2.50.
During the beta testing periods, the Roku app will be unavailable for using as a primary outlet. This option for using as a primary outlet is available to customers only after the official launch of the app.
The Xfinity TV app provides access to live and On Demand content like local and public broadcasts, as well as educational and lifestyle channels. The cloud based DVR recordings are also available to the users on their Roku devices.
On Demand Content
Comcast’s decision to provide this content through Roku is a measure to enhance competition among the streaming video platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. This move has also been the result of the recent move by the FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to drop the proposal to unlock the set top competition from the vote.
The Roku Channel Store contains the Xfinity TV beta app, which is available for download among Comcast Xfinity customers. The beta version is available and compatible for Roku TV models released in the previous few years, including Roku Express, Roku Premiere, Roku 4 (model 4400), Roku Streaming Stick (model 3600), Roku 3 (model 4230 and 4200), Roku Ultra, Roku 2 (model 4210), Roku Premiere+ and Roku Express+.
In addition to that, Comcast has also announced that it will extend the compatibility to more Roku players after the official launch of the Xfinity app later in the year.
