
Company announces plans for 1 gigabit service
Internet speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second are on the way, said Comcast in a release this week.
The communications company plans to offer next-generation cable technology that will compare to the speeds offered by Google Fiber, according to an article in the Washington Post.
The company would become one of the largest providers of gigabit internet in the U.S. Comcast says they plan to roll out the new service within three years or less, and they say the service would be available to almost all of their 22 million subscribers.
AT&T and Google already offer 1 gigabit service, but only in selected cities and plans for any expansion are uncertain due to having to develop a new fiber optic infrastructure. Should Comcast be able to meet its forecasted deadline, the company may edge out the competitors and become the leader in the high-speed race.
There are some other things to consider when expecting to sign up for the faster service. Most likely you will need to exchange your current modem for a new faster one that can support the speed, and the high-speed service is probably going to be a bit more expensive that what you are currently paying.
The upcoming target for internet speeds is way beyond the 1 gigabit rate. Companies are starting to plan for speeds up to 10 gigabits per second, which is what they think customers will demand in the future.
They expect businesses to place more demand on yet faster internet speeds to support their media-driven applications and quite possibly, virtual reality experiences.
Verizon is reportedly testing a new technology that may be capable of 10 gigabit speeds, but is unlike the cable that the other companies are using. That is another sign that most companies believe the faster internet speeds are going to be in high demand sooner than later.
There is a lot of expensive groundwork to be completed before those type speeds become commonplace. By that time, newer technologies may allow other competitors to join ion the game.
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