UTOPIA offers 10-gig service

UTOPIA Fiber, a fiber optic network based in Murray, has launched the state’s first 10-gigabit-per-second (10Gbps) fiber Internet service for residential subscription. The organization said that the service will give customers the fastest Internet service in the nation.

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“For a state that showcases its Silicon Slopes, no other network in Utah will be able to offer Internet speeds close to UTOPIA Fiber’s new 10-gig service,” said Roger Timmerman, UTOPIA’s executive director. “These speeds enable any residence to become the ultimate smart home.”

UTOPIA characterized its new Internet speed as providing enough bandwidth to stream 1,700 online movies at the same time from a single connection without any buffering or lag time.  In homes where more and more devices require high-speed Internet connections, any current or future level of connectivity is supported with this product, the company said.

Two local Internet service providers, Veracity and Xmission, will be the first to offer the service.  

“I am proud to be pushing the limits of Internet in Utah again with our 10-gigabit to-the-home offering,” said Pete Ashdown, president and founder of XMission. “XMission strives to be the best there is, not just in Utah, but Internet-wide.”

The new service won’t be cheap, according to the new rate structure released by Xmission. Customers can purchase a 10-gig connection for $250 per month plus UTOPIA fees. 

According to Warren Woodward, XMission director of broadband services, “Residential customers should be aware that a 10Gbps fiber connection is, in many respects, faster than the Internet. A 10Gbps port into a home will provide multiple simultaneous high-bandwidth streams, but most residential networks will require significant upgrades in order to support this volume of data.”

The Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA Fiber) is a community-owned fiber optic network. Created by a consortium of Utah cities, UTOPIA Fiber supports open access and promotes competition in all telecommunication services. {/mprestriction}