COMCAST Information

The POA was approached in early 2025 by COMCAST/Xfinity to bring fiber broadband into the community. This effort is funded by federal and state grants. The grant term ends in July 2026, meaning it has to be built out by then. Other communities on Edisto are also part of this initiative.

An agreement has been reached between the POA and COMCAST to run the fiber infrastructure within the community. This effort consists of running of the fiber along the roadways, normally following the electric pathway, and placing terminal points (boxes), for future home connections. Timing, and specifics of the installation, are still being developed. Those will be provided once known.

Once the infrastructure is in place, property owners can then decide if they desire to utilize COMCAST as their internet/cable provider. This would involve the running of a fiber line (e.g., cable) from the terminal point (at the roadway) into the home and then connection to the Optical Network Unit (ONU) (fiber to cable converter box) and then the router. These devices do require power and placement in an environmentally controlled space.

COMCAST would run the fiber line and provide the ONU and router. The property owner must provide a path from outside of the house to their proposed location for the ONU/router. This would/could include the marking the location of power lines, sprinkler systems, etc to allow for running the line to the house and installation of conduit or pathway within the home to allow for running of the cable to the planned location of the COMCAST equipment. Location of the equipment within the home will be dictated by a number of factors such as ability to run the fiber cable and configuration of the homes proposed networks.

Once the fiber infrastructure is in place within the community, COMCAST will provide contact information to allow property owners to sign up for their service and discuss any unique aspects of the installation.

In no way does this effort commit any property owner to use this service.

Miscellaneous topics

A. Problem: Path into the house, specifically older houses, for the fiber line might not be present

Proposed Solution: install a small conduit or smurf tube into a house where you want the fiber to come in. Typically, that is next to power on the side of the house. If someone wants it on the opposite side of the house COMCAST doesn’t tack fiber to say the bottom of the house (the owners would need to do that).

Details and Context: When Comcast installs fiber to the home they must put 2 devices inside the house. These are the Optical Network Unit (ONU) and Comcast Gateway (next gen XER10).

B. Problem - In House Wi-fi

Wi-fi by it's nature will not do more than 1500 Sqft in an ideal setting. Wi-fi operates on 3 frequencies (2.4 Ghz/5 Ghz/and 6Ghz). Signals that can impact Wi-fi are wide ranging. For Example 2.4 Ghz goes through walls the best but is the slowest. Also 2.4 Ghz is the same frequency as a microwave so don't put it near one. Older homes can have metal smart panels, metal destroys Wi-fi signal.

Proposed Solution tech: Almost all houses need some sort of Wi-fi amplification or distribution. Comcast Wi-fi typically cannot cover greater than a 1500 Sqft home in a perfect condition.

New homes have ethernet wiring that can assist with adding wireless extenders/access points/mesh devices
Online or at a Best Buy/Costco there are several solutions that use extenders you plug into the house in existing electric outlets they create a "mesh network". if you download an APP and follow directions, these can be installed by the homeowner. They run $200 up to whatever. Cheaper equals slower.
There are folks that you pay to install Wi-fi networks. As simple as Best Buy for say something like $300 to high end AV guys who will charge thousands.