Comcast has announced the launch of a Chicago-area trial for a new internet service that delivers speeds up to 1 gigabit per second to customers. The service will use DOCSIS 3.1 technology to deliver these speeds over the company’s existing network infrastructure.
In January, CableLabs gave the green light for DOCSIS 3.1 to go mainstream, and Comcast was quick to jump on the new technology. By December 2015, Comcast had already installed its first DOCSIS 3.1 modem in Philadelphia, and a few months later unveiled plans to offer the service in Atlanta and Nashville in the first half of the year, with Chicago, Detroit and Miami to follow in the second half.
The appeal is that Comcast can use its existing infrastructure to establish a multigigabit network without having to lay more fiber.
“We’re delivering gigabit speeds over the network that already passes millions of homes in the Chicago area,” said  John Crowley, Comcast Greater Chicago Region SVP. “Our commitment to providing customers with a great experience is front and center with this announcement, and we’re proud that Comcast’s Chicago-area customers will be among the first in the world to have access to this new gigabit technology.”
According to Comcast, a 1 Gbps connection will enable customers to:
- Download a 5 gigabyte HD movie in 40 seconds;
- Download a 600 megabyte TV episode in four seconds;
- Download a 150 megabyte music album in two seconds; and
- Download a 15 gigabyte video game in two minutes.
The everyday monthly price of the new service with no contract is $139.95 plus taxes and fees. Comcast said it will test promotional pricing during the trial period.
