Comcast Forges Ahead for Accessibility
Comcast announced it has created a dedicated accessibility customer support team and opened an accessibility product and development lab. These two key initiatives are examples of Comcast’s commitment to meet the needs of customers with disabilities.
“Accessibility is the measure of how effectively people with disabilities can use and enjoy the programming, products and services we deliver and how successful we are at making these solutions available to the widest possible audience,” said Tom Wlodkowski, Vice President of Accessibility for Comcast. “Comcast and my team are laser focused on developing new innovative solutions that enhance the user experience for these customers as well as utilizing these same technologies to ultimately enhance and improve how all of our customers interact with our services.”
Claude Stout, Executive Director, TDI said, “TDI commends Comcast for its recent initiatives in accessibility from its Philadelphia, PA headquarters. Its Vice President for Accessibility, Tom Wlodkowski has worked with TDI for a good number of years, going back to his days formerly with America Online. Comcast has invited a number of national organizations, including TDI in the disability community to a roundtable event twice in the last two years to review its ongoing work in disability access. Last year, we met a few times to discuss how best the TV industry handles complaints from consumers in captioning of video programming on television. We also reviewed Comcast’s plans to acquire Time Warner Cable, and we do not have any significant objections to the merger plans. This is because we have been assured that the new Comcast entity would continue its good work in accessibility, and to pick up on some from Time Warner Cable. We encourage our members and other interested parties to check Comcast’s website in accessibility from time to time. And the blog there by Mr. Wlodkowski on Comcast’ video description offerings is great news for our sister partners in the blind community. Congratulations and thank you very much, Comcast!”
Dedicated Customer Support for People with Disabilities
Closed captioning, video description, accessible billing services and operating web and mobile interfaces with screen reader software are especially important for people with disabilities. Now, customers can contact a dedicated support team of 37 agents specially trained on all things related to Comcast accessibility, in the new Comcast Accessibility Center of Excellence for help with these and other general support issues.
Customers can access the center directly by calling 855-270-0379 seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. (EST). Customers can also contact an Accessibility Center of Excellence representative via chat.
The Comcast Accessibility Product and Development Lab
The Comcast Accessibility Lab is both a working lab for the development of accessible products and features and a showcase of assistive technologies used by people with disabilities to interact with mainstream mobile, online and desktop user interfaces. Comcast is also using the lab for focus groups and usability testing with key communities of people with disabilities to learn more about how customers can use its services as well as to help educate its employees about accessibility. Co-located with Comcast Labs in Philadelphia, the space brings together cutting-edge solutions such as cable TV’s first talking program guide (known as Voice Guidance on the X1 Entertainment Operating System) that the Company launched on December 18, 2014.
For more information and an overview of Comcast’s accessible products and services please visit //customer.comcast.com/help-and-support/account/accessibility-services.