5 Facts to Take Advantage of Gigabit Internet

It’s here. And just in time for returning to work and school (online especially), coupled with the need for reliable and uninterrupted entertainment.  Gigabit internet is next-gen broadband internet services that will be the new norm for all of your devices and data working cohesively.  Let’s jump right in on how to take advantage of gigabit internet and its many benefits.

Gigabit internet refers to internet service which is typically delivered over fiber-optic lines and provides speeds of 1,000Mbps, which is also referred to as “1 Gbps” or “Gigabit” internet.  The average household increases in their need for high internet speeds as more and more smart devices are sharing the same wi-fi networks. What once was maybe a computer or two is now a smart home filled with intuitive devices like laptops, tablets, smartphones, Alexas and Echo Dots, Ring doorbells, Google Nest Hubs for home security, automation, and more.

Internet connection speeds are usually measured in megabits per second, often written as Mbps. Think of internet speed like water pressure: it’s all about how much volume is moving in a given amount of time. While you can certainly run the shower while another family member washes dishes, you wouldn’t want one faucet to trickle just drops at a time while the other gets the majority of the water pressure.

Equally, a faster internet speed allows for more people to use more devices without having to compromise on who gets the speed and who suffers. Faster internet speeds mean everyone in your home can download what they want quickly, freeing up bandwidth for others looking to download data, upload docs, or stream shows.

Upload speeds will never be faster than with fiber. One gigabit internet gives you 940/880 speeds. Take your average devices’ daily use of speed and imagine sharing that with multiple devices. This includes devices throughout your home, updating regularly, and running in the background consistently.

Here are just a few of the many ways you can be sharing speeds throughout your household:

• Check email and browse the web: 1-5 Mbps minimum
• Stream HD content: 15-25 Mbps minimum
• Also, stream 4K content and play competitive online games: 40-100 Mbps minimum
• Stream 4K content, play online games and download very large files: 200+ Mbps minimum

Clearly, this is just sharing entertainment-related devices. This doesn’t even include the real-time streaming of your smart fridge, voice assistants and hubs, security cameras and doorbells, etc. Which you’ll need for certain.

By using fiber optic, you’re able to take advantage of gigabit internet speeds that keep your whole home running smoothly.

Given the ever-advancing marriage of tech and convenience, devices will continue to do more and more to make our lives easier and easier.  This is all done with their connection to wi-fi where every device plugs into its seemingly intuitive capabilities. There are many ways to take advantage of gigabit internet, but here are some tangible examples to give you an idea of how you can benefit.

• Shrink upload times from minutes to seconds.
• Get on-the-go-mobile or remote business done twice as fast with quicker upload speeds.
• Keep peace among everyone whether watching gaming or performing online school work.
• Stream movies quickly without buffering or frustrating freezes.
• Keep your home security and automation connected and working for you 24/7.

While a second option is surfacing to take advantage of gigabit internet speeds, fiber optics is currently the best route. The new option, in the form of the DOCSIS 3.1 standard, enables gigabit speeds over the same coaxial cables used for standard cable internet. However, it’s not as beneficial. While it boasts 1-Gbps download speeds, it has a limit to only 35-Mbps upload speeds.

If you’re working from home or schooling online this coming semester, it is unlikely that you’ll be solely downloading content. You’ll want the speed and bandwidth of fiber. This allows you to upload documents and send correspondence back and forth in a timely manner.

Introducing, Fiber Gigabit from Centurylink. Channel Choice is a local provider you can trust for all things internet and cable. Our partnership with Centurylink not only offers the advantage of gigabit internet but also comes with free modem/hardware installation.

Still have questions about fiber gigabit and how you can benefit from gigabit internet services? Give us a call or stop on by! We are conveniently located in Tucson and have plenty of educated and devoted staff. We are committed to finding you the right amount of internet and cable for the right price – in 3 easy steps!