As part of Comcast’s ongoing commitment towards closing the digital divide and making its products and services accessible to everyone, the company has announced the expansion of American Sign Language Video Remote Interpreting (ASL VRI) services to eight Xfinity Store locations in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
“Accessibility is at the heart of our mission to deliver a world class customer experience – from in-person services at our Xfinity Stores to the products our customers enjoy at home,” said Thomas Wlodkowski, Comcast Vice President for Accessibility. “We’re thrilled to be able to bring live ASL interpreting services to new retail locations across the DMV area to help ensure an excellent in-store experience for our Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing customers.”
Customers who need ASL support can stop into the participating Xfinity Stores, where representatives will utilize ASL VRI to access a live interpreter provided by partner, Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD). The Xfinity Associate simply taps the app on the store iPad and is connected in moments via video to a live interpreter who can translate from ASL to English and vice versa as the customer and Associate converse.
Comcast launched the program with a pilot in select stores in 2023 and is the first telecommunications retailer in the country to provide this service. The company will be expanding the service to additional stores across the country this year.
“Comcast has been a leader in digital access and equity in communities across the State of Maryland for decades, and we are grateful for their commitment to Accessibility as well,” said Carol Beatty, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD). “Making their retail experiences more accessible raises the bar for companies everywhere to think about how they too can help to improve the daily lives for those in our community who live with a disability.”
Customers can visit Xfinity.com/ASL to view the complete list of stores offering this service. The participating Xfinity Stores in the DMV area are:
- Downtown DC: 715 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
- Frederick, MD: 1700 Kingfisher Dr Suite 5-6, Frederick, MD 21701
- Gaithersburg, MD: 31 Grand Corner Ave Suite 31, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
- Largo, MD: 10582 Campus Way South, Largo, MD 20774
- Riverdale Park, MD: 4555 Van Buren St, Riverdale Park, MD 20737
- Silver Spring, MD: 13529 Connecticut Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20906
- Arlington, VA: 1515 N Courthouse Rd, Arlington, VA 22201
- Alexandria, VA: 4609 Duke St Suite 19B, Alexandria, VA 22304
Additionally, Comcast announced a $10,000 digital equity grant for community partner, Maryland School for the Deaf, to broaden access to digital skills training for people who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing.
“It’s critical to have community partners like Comcast that continue to ensure all forms of technology and customer-facing services are accessible to the deaf community,” said John A. Serrano, Superintendent of the Maryland School for the Deaf. “We’re excited to partner with Comcast to accelerate our digital skills programming, empowering our students with the necessary tools to thrive in today’s digital landscape.”
Comcast’s grant is part of Project UP, the company’s $1 billion commitment to advance digital equity through programs and community partnerships that connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers and creators.
