Comcast Business Connects to Amazon Web Services

Comcast Business said it now provides enterprise customers direct links to Amazon Web Services (AWS).

That linkage, via AWS Direct Connect, gives Comcast Business customers private network connectivity to the AWS Cloud services that perform critical processes like production compute and storage, backup, dev/test, collaboration and billing or website hosting, Comcast Business said.

Comcast currently provides business customers with up to 10 Gbps of dedicated Ethernet connectivity to AWS.

"Connecting to a leading provider of cloud services is an advanced IT asset for our enterprise customers, and as CIOs and IT leaders look to expand their use of AWS, our integration with AWS Direct Connect will give them a new Ethernet network option to connect dispersed office locations and data centers," said Denice Hasty, senior vice president of Marketing and Product Management for Comcast Business, in a statement. "A key part of our cloud and data center initiative is to give businesses direct access to cloud providers for increased options and flexibility as they customize their hybrid network strategies."

As a member of the AWS Partner Network (APN), Comcast Business also can connect more than 1 million Ethernet-enabled buildings in the Comcast network to additional AWS services like Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), Amazon Simple Storage Solution (Amazon S3) and Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (Amazon VPC).

Comcast Business, which recently launched a unit focused on large enterprise business customers in the Fortune 1000, pulled in $1.25 billion in revenues in Q4 2015, up from $1.05 billion the year-ago quarter.  Comcast ended 2015 as the nation’s fifth-largest U.S. provider of carrier Ethernet services, according to Vertical Systems Group. AT&T was tops, followed by Level 3, Verizon, CenturyLink and Time Warner Cable.