Chattanooga has launched Internet service at 10 gigabits per second through its municipal broadband network.
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Only 100 people signed up for the 1 gigabit service when it originally cost $350 per month. “As a long-term supplier for EPB’s gigabit networks, we’re proud to be helping EPB and the city of Chattanooga be at the forefront of the ultra broadband movement and provide the industry’s leading fiber technology to help deliver on many services and innovation it brings to the community residents and businesses”. The service is powered by Alcatel-Lucent’s TWDM-PON broadband technology. In a study, released in June by the University of Tennessee, finance professor Bento Lobo claims the original “One Gig Network” helped the Chattanooga area to generate 2,800 new jobs and $865.3 million in economic and social benefits. With the 10 Gig internet now available (as well as the 3 Gig and 5 Gig option available for small businesses), city and county officials believe this new option can dramatically increase productivity and workflow in working with ventures involved in 3D printing, film production, gaming, medical image diagnostics, software development, big data, and more.
While ISPs were still in the process of rolling out 1Gbps services, Comcast thought it’d be a good guy for once and introduce 2Gbps service.
When Google released its Fiber Internet service five years ago, it was quite something to behold.
While this screaming-fast Internet speed is suited to most businesses, analysts question how it can appeal to homeowners, as the 1 Gbps was more than enough for them, not to mention that it’s cheaper. The 10 Gig offering will continue to grow wages, diversify our local economy and propel Chattanooga as a center for technology and invention.’ EPB says Chattanooga’s fiber optic network has produced tangible results. How fast is Chattanooga’s internet? When the city first built its fiber network in 2008, Internet service provider Comcast sued EPB to prevent the service from going online. The service, which is being offered through the local community-owned power and communication utility EPB, is available to every home and business within a 600-square-mile area. Now the city takes it up a notch, offering 10 Gbps Internet connections, which is 10 times faster than before and probably 1,000 times faster than the average speed that other users have.
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All of this high-speed goodness has earned Chattanooga the nickname “Gig City”.
