Cable internet is changing. It looks like it’s adapting pretty wonderfully to the modern times. Comcast internet is bringing in gigabit Internet speeds to houses all over the country. They just rolled out a whole gigabit modem for home use in Philadelphia.
Cable Internet and Comcast Are Finally Catching Up
Executive Vice President and CTO of Comcast Tony Werner wrote a blog post giving the announcement. He expressed that this was the company’s next step in bringing gigabit speed broadband to Comcast’s hybrid fiber coaxial network. The final step in the puzzle was to bring in a modem, a software upgrade and ‘a few good engineers’.
The new modem in the Philadelphia home is powered by DOCSIS 3.1. DOCSIS stands for Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification, and is a customer-facing network that uses Comcast’s existing networks to function. It will give this home’s connection 1GB speed. It’s also backwards compatible. This makes installment and use more widespread and easier.
Comcast Is Not the First to Bring in Gigabit Speeds
Google Fiber is actually the first platform to introduce gigabit speeds through hybrid fingers. Unlike Comcast, Google needs new cable connections in order for Google Fiber to work properly. Not only that, it also only works in certain areas.
What’s in Store for Comcast Internet?
Werner went on to declare that Comcast will continue to develop new cable connections through 2016, and will continue to test them. The company’s hope is that by the end of 2016, customers have access to a new kind of gigabit speed that works on existing connections. The next areas of testing will likely be in Pennsylvania, Northern California and Atlanta.
It’s yet to be seen where these amazing speeds will be rolling out first, but internet providers like Time Warner Cable and Verizon Fios should be looking out. Comcast is bringing in some serious guns to the party. They will continue to bring out huge announcements as 2016 progresses. If Verizon and TWC want any part in the market for the next two years, they will be adopting similar networks, so we will probably hear word from their R&D departments really soon. For now, the scales are pointing to Comcast.
