Comcast Tests Its Pre-Paid XFINITY Internet Service

Comcast is mimicking the mobile industry and has just started testing its own pre-paid service. The company has launched its pre-paid XFINITY internet service in a few states, including Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. This new program is aimed for people who hate contracts, and/or do not have sufficient credit to sign up for Comcast's internet service. This service will be available for new activations only, meaning those of you who already have Comcast's services will be left out.

There are a few caveats that may deter many of you from Comcast's pre-paid internet service. The first caveat is the $69.95 starter kit that you are required to purchase from your local retailer, whether it'd be Target, Radio Shack, T-Mobile(?), or many others. The starter kit comes with a 30-day service card/activation code, and all the cables you need to get started.

The second caveat is the slow data speeds allotted for pre-paid subscribers. Users will only get 3 Mbps download speeds and 768k upload speeds. While that may be adequate for casual Google searchers, that's certainly not enough for everyone else. Even Comcast's lowest tiered contract plan offers at least 6 Mbps download speeds.

So while this may be good enough for the average consumer, it's pretty terrible for most of us. Watching Netflix movies, playing online games, and even watching YouTube videos can be a less-than-pleasant experience with these speeds. I, personally, need at least 20Mbps download speeds (I'm currently using 30Mbps) to feel satisfied when downloading my videos and playing my games. What data speeds do you need to be satisfied? What service do you use?

[via Comcast]