Comcast next week plans to launch its next-generation internet service — which brings a huge boost to both upload and download speeds — in select neighborhoods in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The company said that the service, powered by a technology called DOCSIS 4.0, will also hit select areas of Atlanta and Philadelphia by the end of the year.
DOCSIS 4.0, the latest standard in cable internet technology, is the industry’s answer to fiber optics, which continues to be the most reliable and speedy form of broadband connectivity. But fiber often requires you to dig up streets and front yards to install the lines, which can be a costly and inconvenient endeavor. DOCSIS 4.0 uses existing coaxial cable lines and technical tricks to boost the speeds, making for a near-comparable offering.
“The ubiquity of our network, which is already accessible to tens of millions of homes, provides us with an incredible opportunity to bring multi-gigabit upload and download speeds to communities across the country with the scale and efficiency that no other provider can replicate,” said Dave Watson, president and CEO of Comcast Cable. “Our connectivity experience, powered by the Xfinity 10G Network, will allow us to deliver speeds up to 10 Gbps over our traditional network to virtually all our customers, plus even better reliability, lower latency, and the best in-home WiFi coverage.”
The technology has been in the works for years, with Comcast now debuting it.
Beyond the use of existing infrastructure, the highlight feature is its ability to deliver equal upload and download speeds. Comcast plans to offer plans of up to 2 Gbps. A DOCSIS 4.0 network can deliver up to 10 Gbps of download speed and 6 Gbps of upload speed.
While Comcast already offers multi-gig service, that requires the more extensive fiber optic route, which isn’t always feasible based on your location. DOCSIS 4.0 can potentially widen the market for higher-speed internet.