The past week has seen a number of gigabit Internet deployments, including both DOCSIS 3.1 and fiber-to-the-home (FTTH). Operators announcing 1 Gbps (or thereabouts) services include Verizon, Comcast, Mediacom, MaxxSouth and Grande.
Verizon
Verizon (NYSE:VZ) has launched a near-gigabit FTTH offering dubbed Fios Gigabit Connection. The company says it provides downstream speeds up to 940 Mbps and 880 Mbps upstream, which is similar to AT&T's (NYSE:T) AT&T FIber FTTH service.
Pricing starts at $69.99 a month standalone and $79.99 a month for a triple play bundle when ordered online. Fios Gigabit Connection service bundled with Fios Custom TV and Digital Voice service is available online for $79.99 in year one and $84.99 in year two, with a two-year agreement.
The service is an evolution of the company's Fios Instant Internet service, which launched in January with symmetrical 750 Mbps speeds. Subscribers to Fios Instant Internet will automatically be upgraded to Fios Gigabit Connection and will see their bills lowered.
Fios Gigabit Connection is available to more than 8 million homes in parts of New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Virginia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Washington DC.
Comcast
Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) is launching DOCSIS 3.1-based gigabit Internet service to residential customers throughout Utah. The company has also deployed DOCSIS 3.1-based gigabit Internet in Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago and Detroit, and has announced plans for 2017 launches in Oregon, Washington and California.
"What I am most excited about is that Comcast's residential 1 Gig service is available throughout Utah - not just in specific areas of the state. It's important that superior internet speeds are accessible to more people," said Richard Nelson, President, Utah Technology Council. "Comcast continues to play a crucial role in Utah's leadership as a high-tech community."
The everyday price for 1 Gigabit service in Utah is $159.95, without a contract. Two promotional prices will also be tested in different areas with a one-year service agreement, including a $70.00 per month offer in certain areas in Salt Lake City, Provo, and North Ogden, and a $109.99 per month offer across the rest of the state. Additional prices and promotions may be tested in the future.
Mediacom
Mediacom Communications has launched DOCSIS 3.1-based gigabit service in its Georgia service territory, covering 275,000 households in more than 50 southwest Georgia communities.
Mediacom plans to use DOCSIS 3.1 to provide gigabit services to virtually all of the 3 million homes and businesses within its 22-state footprint. To date, Mediacom has launched the service in more than 600 communities, most recently in Minnesota, Alabama, Tennessee and Iowa. As DOCSIS 3.1 cable modems become more readily available, Mediacom plans to announce additional gigabit Internet launches on a market-by-market basis throughout the remainder of the year. In conjunction with each gigabit launch, the company will also introduce a 500 Mbps tier of service.
MaxxSouth
MaxxSouth Broadband is preparing to deploy DOCSIS 3.1 technology in Oxford, MS. Combined with existing FTTH technology that was launched last year, the company plans to soon offer all Oxford residents access to 1 Gbps Internet speeds. The DOCSIS 3.1 deployment is scheduled to begin early this summer, with all Oxford areas scheduled to have access to the service by the end of July.
The company says most of its customers in Oxford currently have Internet speeds of about 60 Mbps.
Grande
Texas-based Grande Communications is expanding its gigabit footprint via DOCSIS 3.1 in its Austin, San Marcos, Dallas, Midland and Odessa markets, with expansion to the rest of the company's markets expected in the near future. Grande has offered FTTH-based gigabit services since 2014.
Residential pricing for the DOCSIS 3.1 service starts at $69.99/month and includes wireless home networking at no extra cost. The service requires no contract and does not have bandwidth usage caps.