Comcast to Post Fourth-Quarter Video-Subscriber Growth

Comcast Chief Executive Brian Roberts said the company's video subscriber base grew modestly in the fourth quarter after 26 straight quarters of decline, an improvement that he said was due, in part, to its investments in technology in recent years.

Roberts said the fourth-quarter growth won't increase Comcast's video subscriber total for the full year but added, "It is a real beginning of an exciting reversal of trends." Comcast, the No. 1 US cable operator by subscribers, has invested heavily in X1, an Internet-connected set-top box that powers advanced features like mobile apps and an enhanced program guide. Roberts said he hopes the platform will reach over 50% of Comcast's footprint in the next few years. Roberts said Comcast would be open to licensing the X1 platform to other cable operators. He also credited the company's investment in upgrading its cable infrastructure for helping improve its video subscriber results.