Community Investment, Culture / Leadership, Digital Equity, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Network Expansion, Project UP

Comcast Connects Memphis 

August 14, 2024
Memphis

Comcast is expanding access to high-speed Internet service, closing the digital divide and driving economic growth in Memphis  

Comcast surpasses 13,000 miles of network in Memphis. 

Comcast has more than 13,000 miles of network infrastructure in Metro Memphis, including more than 100,000 WiFi hotspots. Our network architecture allows us to deliver the same suite of innovative services, the same high-level customer experience and gigabit+ Internet speeds across Memphis, making Memphis a “Gigabit+ City.” Data on our network travels 99% of the way to homes and businesses via fiber.

Future proofing: We invest in our Xfinity Network to stay ahead of demand, support new technologies and accommodate changing lifestyles  

Comcast has been serving Memphis for almost 20 years. We have the track record, the longevity and the financial ability to invest in and partner with Memphis for the long term.  

We invest in our network continually to make sure we meet the current and future needs of all the households and businesses we serve. In fact, over the last decade, Comcast has invested $30 billion in technology and network infrastructure nationally, $629 million in Tennessee alone in the last three years. As a result of these investments, we can deliver an even greater customer experience, increase reliability and speeds and double network capacity every 2.5 years to meet our customers’ growing connectivity needs.  

Comcast has committed $1 billion over 10 years to help make digital equity a reality. 

Started in 2021, Project UP is a comprehensive 10-year, $1 billion Comcast initiative designed to help make digital equity a reality and build a future of unlimited possibilities. Internet Essentials, one of Project UP’s centerpieces, provides low-cost Internet service, digital skills training and subsidized computers to eligible households. Internet Essentials and Internet Essentials Plus are available to students of all ages, senior citizens, veterans and people with disabilities enrolled in public assistance programs, as well as public housing residents. The program has helped more than 332,000 Memphis residents access the Internet at home since it launched in 2011.  

In addition, Comcast has established WiFi-connected “Lift Zones” at five community centers in Memphis. Lift Zones are safe spaces where students and families can get online for distance learning, to do homework, to learn new digital skills and to search for employment. The five Lift Zones in Memphis are located at: 

  • Alpha Omega Veterans 
  • Boys & Girls Club of Crittenden County 
  • Girls Inc. of Memphis (2) 
  • YMCA of Greater Memphis  

The Comcast RISE program (Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment) was created in 2020 to help small businesses hardest hit by COVID-19. Comcast has awarded 400 small businesses in Memphis, packages that include monetary grants, consultation services, educational resources, technology makeovers, commercial production and airtime. The 2023 winners celebrated at a special Comcast RISE Day event in Memphis. Read more about previous our local RISE winners here.  

We’re part of your community  

Comcast provides support to the community through its partners including cash and in-kind donations to the following partners: 

Comcast has been serving residents and businesses and supporting communities across Memphis for years. Following are announcements about Comcast’s initiatives in Memphis from just the last three years:  

  • April 2024: SVP Mike McArdle Appears on “Dialogue with Deidre” YouTube Show to Speak on Comcast’s Investments in Memphis 
  • October 2023: Connecting Communities: Comcast Partnership Aims to Close the Digital Divide Across Greater Memphis Area 
  • June 2023: Comcast Military Veterans Group Launches Flag Replacement Program in Memphis 
  • May 2023: Comcast RISE to Award 100 Small Businesses in Memphis with $5,000 Monetary Grants, Marketing Support, Technology Resources, and More 
  • March 2023: Comcast Makes Grant Announcement for YMCA Young Achievers Program in Memphis 
  • August 2022: Comcast Hosting Community Event, Free Movie Screening of “Jurassic World: Dominion” in Memphis 
  • December 2021: Memphis Digital Equity Event with Mayor Jim Strickland Commemorates 10th Anniversary of Comcast’s Internet Essentials Program 
  • August 2021: Comcast Foundation Announces $20,000 Grant to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Memphis 

Leadership  

Mike McArdle serves as Senior Vice President of Comcast’s South Region. He started his career at Comcast in 1996 as a customer account executive. Now, he leads 3,500 employees across seven states, including nearly 200 based in Memphis, and is focused on delivering an outstanding customer experience.  

Christine Whitaker serves as President of Comcast’s Central Division, which comprises four regions and more than 16,000 employees across 12 states, including Tennessee. 

Chris Winton serves as Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Comcast’s Central Division. He is a Memphis resident and University of Memphis graduate. 

Visit our Metro Memphis Xfinity stores located at:  

  • 2847 Poplar Ave., Memphis  
  • 7615 West Farmington Blvd., Germantown 
  • 8361 US Hwy. 64, Memphis 
  • 5338 Goodman Road, Suite 115, Olive Branch 

Comcast is proud to serve Memphis. We’re more than just your Internet service provider. We’re your friends, neighbors and coworkers, and we share a future. For more information, send an e-mail to economic_development@comcast.com. 

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