Used to connect consumers’ smartphones, tablets and computers — as well as televisions, video doorbells, air-conditioning systems, door locks and lots more — to the digital world, the internet has become a near-ubiquitous part of modern life. And while many Americans have heard of Gig internet, which is among the fastest connection speeds offered nationwide, only a select few have ever actually experienced the amazing benefits it can bring.
How fast is Gig?
Representing download speeds of 1 billion bits per second — 100 times faster than the average U.S. internet speed — Gig internet utilizes fiber-optic cable to improve users’ connections and drastically enhance their internet experience. Just how fast is Gig and what does it mean for the typical consumer? Consider these download times for 1 Gigabit internet:
| File type | File size | Download time |
| 4-minute song | 4 MB | 0.03 seconds |
| 5-minute video | 30 MB | 0.2 seconds |
| 9-hour audiobook | 110 MB | 0.9 seconds |
| 45-minute TV show | 200 MB | 1.7 seconds |
| 2-hour movie | 1-1.5 GB | 8 seconds |
Benefits beyond speed
Clearly, connection speeds are exponentially faster with Gig internet. But the benefits don’t stop there. For example, with all of the added bandwidth the superior connection brings, Gig users don’t have to worry about getting those dreaded “buffering” messages on their streaming devices, even when multiple users are online at once and numerous other devices are connected throughout the house.
Among the additional benefits 1 Gig internet can deliver:
- Added reliability: Gig internet is delivered over fiber-optic cables, which consist of long, thin strands of glass.Unless physically cut, fiber remains the most reliable form of communications connection today.
- Lower latency: With Gig internet’s faster page-load times, consumers spend less time waiting between when they click on something onscreen and when the linked information, image, video or other media type appears. This translates into a much smoother user experience, whether the activity of choice is streaming movies, playing online video games, listening to online music or simply surfing the web.
- Enhanced entertainment: With 1 Gig internet’s added bandwidth, internet users can enjoy content at higher levels of digital quality, all without having to worry about stalls and slowdowns.
- Increased user and device capacity: In the modern home, a range of users and devices can be — and frequently are — connected to the internet at the same time. And while slower internet connections can lead to buffering when the number of connected users and devices jumps, Gig internet’s higher bandwidths allow for simultaneous usage without issue.
- Symmetrical service: With FTC’s 1 Gig Internet, upload and down speeds are identical, which is referred to as symmetric. This means files are uploaded at the same speed — 1Gig — as they are downloaded, which provides an amazing performance when live streaming, videoconferencing, online gaming and more.
Ready to get the Gig in your home or office? Call 888-218-5050 or stop by one of FTC’s local stores to find out if you are currently on the fiber network and the 1 Gig service is an option for you!
