Local Leaders Get Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Technology Nucleus

A select group of elected officials recently received an exclusive look at Comcast Texas’ secure site that stores its servers and powers Internet connections to homes and businesses in Kingwood and the surrounding areas. The location is called a HUB. There are dozens of them in the Texas region.

Houston City Councilmember David Robinson was among the exclusive list of invited guests. The At-Large 2 councilman is also the chairman of the Transportation Technology and Infrastructure (TTI) Committee.

“I learned a lot about what it means to be in the midst of a really vital and expansive network,” Robinson said about the tour.

The tour started at the Humble Xfinity retail store. Representatives from Comcast Texas gave the elected officials an up-close look at a fiber optic line, which is made from a group of glass strands that are thinner than a strand of human hair. Fiber transmits large amounts data at the speed of light.

The group got to see and learn about the technology powering Xfinity’s 10G Network, which will deliver fast, reliable service to roughly 80,000 homes and businesses in Kingwood, Pinehurst, New Caney, Waller and Conroe by the end of the year.

“I learned a new vocabulary today about the national backbone that is technology that not only provides entertainment and news and sports in our homes but also vital matters of national preservation and self-interest and how we tie to the national and global networks that surround us,” Councilmember Robinson said.

Xfinity fiber technicians later broke down the makeup of a fiber line, the lengthy process of fusing fiber strands together in the event of repairs, and why redundancy matters. Redundancy ensures that Comcast is able to provide continuous service in the event of an interruption.

“I’m impressed by the redundancy that’s inherent to the technology. The ways in which things are fortified and strong,” Robinson said. “And I’m also impressed by the evolving technology that we see inside. Fiber optics is at the core of what’s going on.”

Texas Rep. Charles Cunningham also attended the tour. The District 127 congressman, who previously worked in the energy sector, said he found the tour informative.

“It was interesting to see how technology has progressed,” Rep. Cunningham said. “I was encouraged to hear how we’re progressing and helping to keep society moving.”

Earlier this year, state lawmakers passed a $1.5 billion broadband development bill that will add to the more than $3 billion the federal government already allocated to Texas for broadband infrastructure, if approved by Texas voters this November. The measure greenlights one of the largest broadband investments in state history and will make the Internet more accessible to millions of Texans who lack access to service, according to the Texas Tribune.

“I’m proud what we’ve done in the legislature to help play a little role in that, and I’m encouraged to see what Xfinity is going to do,” the representative said.

This is the second HUB tour Comcast Texas has hosted this year. A different group of invited guests received a similar tour in May.