Comcast Offers Small Businesses Advanced Tech Support

Comcast's Business Class Signature Support is available in three levels, and covers a host of appliances and support services.

Cable and communications provider Comcast is reaching out to small and midsize businesses with the launch of Business Class Signature Support, a 24/7 technical support and equipment protection program for the company's midmarket customers. The service, which covers computers, tablets, mobile devices, servers and networks, gives small-business owners access to IT specialists who can provide advanced technical support online, over the phone or in-person.

Signature Support will first be launched across Comcast Business Services' Northeast Division, which includes 14 states from Maine through Virginia and Washington, D.C. The service will be made available in the company's other markets later this year, according to a company statement. Comcast has provided small businesses with communications solutions, including Internet, Ethernet, voice and TV services, since 2006.

"Our small-business customers have been telling us they need help keeping up with and getting ahead of today's ever-evolving technology," Daniel Herscovici, vice president of signature support at Comcast, said in a prepared statement. "Whether it's setting up a network, helping a small business get its employees connected remotely, removing a virus or providing critical cloud-based data backup, our new Business Class Signature Support service enables customers to meet their growing technology requirements."

The offerings start with the Essentials Plan, which starts at $29.95 per user per month and includes 24/7 live technical support by phone or online for PCs, Macs, laptops, tablets, smartphones, networks and printers, and also includes remote virus and malware removal, updates and configuration for antivirus software and firewall settings, networking and WiFi support and cloud-based data backup.

With the Preferred Plan ($39.95 per user/month), businesses get local on-site support in addition to all the services provided in the Essentials Plan, while the Premiere Plan, which starts at $49.95 per user per month, adds equipment protection, for computers, laptops, tablets, printers, routers and other appliances, covers drops, spills, cracks and other accidental damage on laptops and tablets, and offers additional protection against defects, wear and tear, and power surges. If the appliance can't be fixed, Comcast will replace it, according to a company release.

"Our Business Class services are already backed by industry-leading 24/7 technical support, and today's announcement further extends our focus on being a trusted and reliable partner for the small business," Kevin O'Toole, senior vice president and general manager of new business solutions for Comcast Business Services, said in a company press release. "By offering this new level of support, we're helping our small-business customers stay focused on growing their business versus being side-tracked dealing with the technology that powers it."