When Google began offering its 1Gbps Google Fiber internet service to selected cities in the U.S., it was hoped it would also generate an increase in Internet speeds for customers of other providers. Now Comcast has announced it’s bringing 2Gbps internet service to Atlanta next month, and 18 million homes across the country by the end of the year.
The package will deliver symmetric uploads and downloads like Fiber does, but at twice that service’s 1Gbps speed. Mountain View had already announced that it would bring Fiber to Atlanta, but Comcast will now beat it to the punch both in timing and data rates.
Comcast also flipped a casual middle finger Google’s way, by saying “our approach is to offer the most comprehensive rollout of multi-gigabit service to the most homes as quickly as possible, not just to certain neighborhoods,” referencing the search-giant’s slow rollout of Google Fiber.
It’s uncertain if Comcast’s new speedy service will make it any more appealing to customers, who have complained of lousy customer service, and have watched as Comcast opposed the new net neutrality rules that most consumers long for.
A few caveats about the new super-fast Comcast Internet feed: You’ll need to be in an “urban center” near Comcast’s fiber network, and the service will require “professional-grade” installation. Jobs only knows how much that will cost, as the provider has not revealed a pricing structure for the new service.
