Comcast Offers Big Garden State Discount

Comcast Corp.’s northern New Jersey operation is looking to win back satellite subscribers with an offer of 12 months of digital cable, Home Box Office, a digital-video recorder and free video-on-demand content for just $39.95 monthly.

Comcast recently began running ads for the offer, which is available to subscribers living in areas ranging from northern New Jersey to Toms River and Long Beach Island.

The steep discount -- Comcast normally charges more than $90 monthly in New Jersey for digital cable, HBO and a DVR -- is comparable to some of the aggressive offers DirecTV Inc. and EchoStar Communications Corp.’s Dish Network typically give new customers.

A Comcast spokesman said the company is also offering new customers who aren’t satellite customers steep discounts. New customers are now being promised six months of digital cable, HBO, VOD and a DVR for $39.95 monthly.

If new customers can show that they had EchoStar or DirecTV, they get all of those products for one year for $39.95 monthly.