Comcast.net is the online portal for Comcast, the second biggest ISP in the United States and the number one cable provider. With such a huge customer base, it comes as no surprise to find that Comcast has bridged the gap between its corporate services and a mainstream brand that can appeal to the American masses.

A look at the Comcast.net homepage and you could be forgiven for assuming that the company was more interested in taking on the likes of Yahoo for a stake of the online news portal market - rather than improving its customer service for cable and Internet users.

Comcast has spent a small fortune assembling an impressive array of features that it can truly be said to have a little something for everybody. The homepage is dominated by the biggest stories and world affairs, with updates at regular intervals that keep the site in line with news reporting competition. You’ll find all the news from Wall Street, gossip in the Showbiz Buzz section and a selection of headlining stories that are designed to capture the interest of your Average Joe.

Comcast.net places a great deal of importance on the ease of which a user is able to access information as he or she so desires. Along with the traditional web search, you can search for videos, images and even scour a Yellow Pages of directory listings - all from the homepage of the Comcast site.

The Comcast.net marketplace is another worthy addition, making it possible for the user to search for jobs, dates or even the most popular shopping purchases of the moment. As you can probably tell by now, there is no shortage of activities to follow once you’ve landed on the Comcast.net website. Some would argue that it’s a bit of an information overload. With so many options from the homepage, it’s quite hard to grasp what the site is trying to focus on.

There seems to be a heavy precedence placed on financial news and stock market updates. That could be placed down to the current economic climate but there’s no doubt that the financial affairs aspect of Comcast.net is one of the most comprehensive that it offers. Which is probably a good thing because most visitors in the Comcast target market aren’t going to be as concerned with finding a date in their local area.

As you’d expect from a cable provider, the company is very keen to promote the hottest new TV shows. Advertisements are a regular sight and you’ll find plenty of encouragement to tune in to your television, or better yet - subscribe to their digital deal.

Comcast remains a popular brand in most American hearts, although it’s customer services reputation has taken a small battering in recent time. The brand is distinguishable and the website does a good job of throwing something for everybody on to its main page, even if that sometimes detracts from the overall cohesiveness of the site. The editorial quality is good and the news is catered for a mainstream audience. Comcast.net might not be an obvious choice for an online portal of latest news, but it offers a good alternative for those who are sick of the usual websites dominating.