US broadband providers wake up to the need for speed

The US telecommunications industry is awaking from its slumber -- prompted, in part, by Google Fiber, a superfast broadband network that is being built from scratch by the search group. On April 2, Comcast announced Gigabit Pro, a new residential internet service that offers download and upload speeds of 2 gigabits per second -- a blistering pace that most consumers simply do not need. It has been likened to offering a Lamborghini to a parent who only needs a car for the school run. The wider significance of Gigabit Pro is that it presages a broader upgrade of Comcast’s network, due to be completed in 2016. At present, only those who live very near the fibre backbone of Comcast’s network will be eligible for the new service. After the upgrade, the company will be able to offer 1 gigabit speeds to almost all of its customers.

AT&T has introduced its U-verse Gigapower service in seven markets, including Austin (TX) and Kansas City, where Google Fiber also operates, and in Cupertino (CA) -- home to Apple and right on Google’s doorstep. It plans to expand to 11 additional markets and is exploring 25 more.