Charter Communications and Comcast Corporation are expanding the Xumo brand name.
The two cable giants will name their joint streaming offering Xumo, taking the name from the free, ad-supported streaming service that Comcast acquired in 2010. The name Xumo will now encompass “an entire ecosystem,” including streaming devices, content and a streaming platform.
“Since 2011, the Xumo brand has connected with millions of customers across the country, establishing itself as a leader in the free ad-supported TV industry for the innovative ways it delivers content to its users,” said Marcien Jenckes, president of Xumo. “The new Xumo will bring industry leading streaming and aggregation technology nationwide through its expanding content, product line up, and retailer relationships.”
Charter and Comcast announced their joint streaming venture in April 2022, saying the two companies wanted “to develop and offer a next-generation streaming platform on a variety of branded 4K streaming devices and smart TVs.” Charter said it would make an initial financial contribution of $900 million, to be funded over multiple years.
Xumo’s existing FAST service will be rebranded as Xumo Play. The service will be a key offering on Xumo devices and as an app on other streaming platforms.
Xumo plans to bring its first branded devices to market in late 2023, with distributions starting through Comcast, Charter and Walmart. Flex, the 4K streaming device that Comcast is licensing to the joint streaming platform, will be renamed Xumo Stream Box. Comcast’s XClass TVs will be renamed Xumo TV.