RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Internet speeds are getting even faster in the Charlotte Metro area: Google Fiber is launching 8 gigabit service. And that speed soon will be available in the Triangle.
Meanwhile, the broadband provider is also offering a slower speed service (300 megabytes) at a cost of $30 a month. Through a federal access program some customers will get the service at no charge.
Google Fiber’s fastest available service had been 5 gigabits.
The 8G service will cost $150 a month.
Service in the Triangle is expected to be available by the end of the year, a Google Fiber spokesperson says.
What can you do with 8G?
“This premium offering is tailored to meet the demands of even the most data-intensive tasks, from video conferencing to large file transfers and beyond,” the company says.
Google Fiber recently launched 5 GB speed, matching the highest speeds offered by some competitors. Here’s what a broadband veteran executive said about 5G:
“Five gigabit capacity will certainly be a good thing for gamers. It won’t solve all problems. The network inside the home, congestion in the provider network, and server capacity all have a role to play,” according to North Carolina broadband consultant and veteran network executive Mark Johnson.
“The higher speeds will be helpful to those working from home with a need to move a lot of data and for homes where more than one person is working out of the house.”
Then there are benefits for Zoom and other videoconferencing tools.
“Higher speeds often mean lower latency as well providing better video conferencing and gaming,” Johnson, a former senior exec at the UNC System and at MCNC, says.
Fast, faster: Google Fiber more than doubles speed of its internet service
