Good news/Bad news for Comcast subscribers: Netflix is coming to an X1 set-top box near you, and it could happen as soon as November 10. However, usage of the popular video streaming service will NOT be exempt from the 1TB data cap Comcast recently applied to a good number of their customers.
Users of both services will be able to “seamlessly move between the Netflix app and their cable service” without changing inputs, according to a joint statement issued by both companies. Additionally, Comcast’s voice search will work with Netflix, and streaming videos from Netflix will be displayed in conjunction with Comcast on-demand video offerings.
Comcast’s frequently asked questions page offers up information on Netflix streaming, and says since the Netflix video is streamed across the Internet, it counts against the 1TB cap placed on a number of Comcast subscribers. Those data caps are usually in place in areas where Comcast faces little competition from such rivals as Google Fiber or Verizon.
Comcast estimates HD content from Netflix consumes around 3GB per hour of viewing, if you do nothing else with your Comcast Internet connection, that will net you around 10 hours of HD video per day.
Where Comcast is trialing new data usage plans, 1 TB is included with XFINITY Internet at no additional charge, which by Netflix’s estimates would represent 1000 hours of standard definition video streaming or 333 hours of HD video streaming of Netflix, or over 10 hours a day of HD streaming in any given month.
Comcast customers will not get a discount on their Netflix subscription, and Netflix subscribers will not get a discount on their Comcast subscription. For more information about XFINITY’s data usage policies, read their Questions and Answers About Our Data Usage Plan.
