Internet speed plays a role in many aspects of overall internet usage.  From download speeds to streaming quality to browser page loading times, the quality and speed of your internet connection influences it all.  So how fast is 1 GIG internet? First off, it might help to know what the term “gig” (in this case, short for Gbps or Gigabits per second) even means.

A bit is the basic measurement of data size in modern computing.  A Gigabit is 1000 megabits. A megabit is 1000 kilobits. A kilobit is…you guessed it, 1000 bits.  Add in the element of time, useful for figuring out transfer speeds, and you’ve got an amount of data over the time it takes to send that data (Gbps, Mbps, Kbps, bps, respectively).  Prior to fiber optics, the vast majority of home internet speeds were well below a whole gigabit per second, and they used a cable network. As of 2017, average home internet speeds in the U.S. are 18.7 Mbps…1 Gig internet speeds are just above 53x that fast.

In practical terms, what does that kind of increase mean for you?  According to Netflix, modern Ultra HD video movies average around 7GB (the capital B means bytes, or 8 bits) of data per hour streamed via their service.  With 1 Gig internet speeds (1 Gigabit per second), the total 56 Gigabits streamed per hour is a total cakewalk and leaves plenty of bandwidth left over for streaming or downloading on other devices.  With streaming and downloading games becoming more popular, rather than buying physical copies, 1 Gig internet speeds also mean your download times on game purchase platforms like Steam or the Microsoft Store could be nearly 40x as fast as the lowest speed considered broadband (25Mbps).  No one likes waiting for that new game to come out, or the sudden lag spike when someone else in the household uses a high-bandwidth app.

With fiber and 1 Gig internet, you’ve got more data available faster.  Be it smooth streaming at modern 4k qualities, downloading that massive, beautiful new game, or loading a graphics- or video-intensive browser page, gig internet speeds are a massive leap forward in terms of data transfer rates and help alleviate the headache that is stuttering video and long wait times.

If you’re ready to upgrade your internet speed, give our team a call at 361-771-3334. Did you know we’re expanding our fiber network in El Campo, TX? Visit www.ElCampoFiber.com to sign up and show interest in a fiber network in your neighborhood. When your zone, or neighborhood, meets its goal - we bring fiber to your door!