Tharakan focused on supporting growing bandwidth demand, new innovations from Comcast and initiatives to enhance the customer experience…
Reji Tharakan has been promoted to vice president of Engineering for Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region (GCR), which spans Illinois, Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan. In his new role, Tharakan will lead the 170 members of the regional Engineering team and oversee the maintenance and operations of Comcast’s network, which supports the company’s Xfinity TV, high-speed Internet, telephone and home security and automation services.
“Reji and his team are responsible for one of Comcast’s most important assets – our nearly 50,000 miles of network in the region,” said John Crowley, Comcast’s regional senior vice president. “The quality and health of the network is crucial to ensuring a positive customer experience.”
Under Tharakan’s leadership, Comcast will continue to enhance and expand Comcast’s network’s infrastructure to support:
- A 50% annual increase in the demand for bandwidth;
- Internet speed increases (Comcast has increased Internet speeds for customers 15 times in the last 13 years);
- Streaming of On Demand television content from the cloud at home and on the go via Xfinity’s mobile TV apps;
- The expansion of the Xfinity WiFi network, which now includes about 875,000 hot spots in businesses, outdoor locations and homes in the GCR alone;
- The expansion of the fiber network in existing and new areas in the region;
- The implementation of ultra-high definition (4k) television service;
- Technologies that increase the network’s efficiency and reduce and prevent service disruptions; and
- The overall growth in the customer base.
Tharakan has more than 14 years of experience in the cable industry and Comcast. Most recently, he served as the region’s senior director of Engineering and was integral in the deployment of an array of new products and services. Before that, he held several positions in the region and in these roles worked closely with Comcast’s Technical Operations and Customer Care teams to ensure the successful implementation of cross functional projects.
Tharakan is a member of the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers, Cable Labs and Women in Cable Telecommunications. He also serves on the board of St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church in Lombard and for the Malayalee Engineers Association of North America. Tharakan, his wife and two children live in Plainfield, IL.
About Comcast Cable
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
With nearly 7,000 local employees, Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region (chicago.comcast.com) serves customers in central and northern Illinois, including the Chicago area, northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan. “Like” Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region on Facebook by visiting Comcast of Illinois, NW Indiana and SW Michigan. “Follow” Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region on Twitter at @ComcastIllinois.
