Comcast announced today that it has proactively connected its fiber-rich network to multiple mall properties across the company’s Greater Chicago Region in Illinois and Indiana, including:

• Southlake Mall, Merrillville, IN

Mall traffic is experiencing a resurgence. Some malls are experiencing a shift in tenants, while others are transforming from traditional retail destinations into anchor communities that include everything from entertainment venues, medical offices, service businesses, and public gathering spaces to office facilities and even residential buildings – in addition to retail. As a result, in many instances, the redevelopment is occurring both inside and outside mall structures and spilling onto the mall property.

With Comcast’s network in place, the company can deliver Internet speeds up to 100 Gbps to businesses and residential speeds faster than a Gigabit, along with its full suite of Comcast Business and Xfinity residential services, to mall properties.

“At the very least, the mix of stores inside malls is changing. On the other end of the spectrum, some malls are planning or are even in the process of transforming themselves,” said Sean McCarthy, Comcast’s Regional Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Initiatives. “State-of-the-art Internet connectivity and technology are playing a major role in almost all aspects of these changes. You really can’t have one without the other.”

With such a wide variety of retail, commercial, residential and public uses, this new iteration of malls requires powerful Internet connectivity and technology. Examples of how technology can be employed in transformed malls include:

• Retail stores process online orders for in-store and curbside pickup and employ virtual in-store try-on technology.
• Medical offices access patient medical records and exchange large imaging files.
• Entertainment venues book and manage reservations for large numbers of patrons.
• Malls need powerful websites and to connect to app platforms that have real-time information about all the different tenants, services and events occurring onsite.
  • Interactive maps use augmented reality and track and communicate with visitors onsite.
  • Smart displays and digital directories help visitors locate businesses, provide schedules and take advantage of amenities onsite.
• With residential buildings creating a built-in market onsite, businesses in the mall interact with residents, and vice versa, from booking restaurant and concert reservations to making medical appointments.
• Residents interact online or via app with building management, access building amenities, pay rent and even track packages that arrive.

Malls contribute to the economy. Technology contributes to malls.

Malls are big businesses, major economic drivers and job creators. Malls attract visitors from local and surrounding communities, which, in turn, increases tax revenue. With the COVID-19 pandemic keeping shoppers at home and the rise of online shopping, mall traffic fell. However, a turnaround is underway. In fact, in 2022, mall sales increased by more than 11% to nearly $819 billion, according to The State of the American Mall, a report from Coresight Research. According to Gitnux Market Data, malls with a greater portion of non-retail tenants, such as restaurants, gyms and experience-oriented businesses, tend to attract more foot traffic.

For more information about the role of connectivity and technology in the next generation of malls and shopping centers, send an email to economic_development@comcast.com.

Source: Comcast