What is gigabit and why does your home need it?

Does your internet connection need a “gigafix?”

If you’re frequently streaming, gaming, and video conferencing, that can all add up to a whole lot of data. Add remote work to your home internet load and the need for a reliable, fast, and secure connection has never been more critical.  

Fiber optics may be just the boost you need. That’s where gigabit internet comes into play. It’s revolutionizing the way we connect to the outside world.

What is gigabit internet?

Gigabit internet offers speeds of 1 Gbps (gigabits per second). That’s equal to 1,000 Mbps. So, how fast is gigabit internet? Based on a recent speed test conducted by HighSpeedInternet.com, the national average for internet speeds was 119.03 Mbps. That makes a gigabit internet connection nearly 10 times faster than many users’ current home internet. Is that fast enough for you?

Gigabit internet download speed

To download an ultra-HD quality 4K video, you’ll need speeds of around 50 Mbps for reliable streaming.  But even with a robust internet speed of 50 Mbps, you’re looking at close to an hour to download that video. With gigabit internet speed, you can download an ultra-HD quality 4K video in a few minutes.

Gigabit internet upload speed

Upload speed refers to how long it takes to send information to other servers or devices. With many cable internet services, upload speeds are much slower than download speeds (the time it takes for incoming information to be received). With fiber internet, upload and download speeds are the same, or “symmetrical.” This is especially valuable if you create video content or work from home and need to transfer large files.

Gigabit internet bandwidth

Another benefit of gigabit internet is the amount of bandwidth it offers. Fiber internet lets you connect multiple devices without slowing things down. Are there multiple users in the household? You can stream a movie in one room while someone else is streaming a ballgame in another. If others are gaming online or video chatting with friends, you won’t slow each other down. How’s that for keeping harmony in the household?

Internet problems? Gigafix them!

Lost video connections, lag time while streaming a movie, trouble uploading a large data file—we’ve all been there. It’s frustrating and time-consuming. Issues with your internet connection can also be more serious. If coworkers rely on you to deliver important files that won’t upload, that could affect your career and reputation. And if you manage sensitive data like healthcare and banking information online, you need to make sure everything is secure. For these reasons alone, gigabit internet is worth it.

Let’s explore typical scenarios where gigabit internet can help fix common connectivity challenges.

Movie night

• The problem: You’ve invited a few friends over to stream the latest action movie on your new flatscreen. You settle in, press play, and hold your breath. It doesn’t load. You wait. Then, when your guests are ready to leave, the connection kicks in. All is well until you reach the climactic car chase. Suddenly, it pauses, then disconnects.

• The gigafix: With lightning-fast gigabit internet speed, you don’t have to worry about uploading, downloading, buffering, or losing connections if you download the movie ahead of time. That HD 4K movie will download before anyone has touched their popcorn. And there won’t be a break in the action until the last credits have rolled.

Information overload

• The problem: You’re interviewing online for that dream job. The conversation is going well and you’re sure you’ve nailed it. Then the connection cuts off. It turns out you didn’t have enough bandwidth to handle your video conference while someone else in the household was streaming a movie and another was gaming online—not to mention all the smart devices and appliances vying for internet space.

• The gigafix: With gigabit internet, you’ll have plenty of bandwidth to cover multiple users. Whether you have multiple users under one roof or a house full of high-tech devices like smart home thermostats, lighting, security systems, and appliances, fiber internet keeps it running. Gigabit fiber internet provides more than enough bandwidth for your household to use it at the same time.

Weather delays

• The problem: You’re watching the big game. It’s the bottom of the ninth, and the bases are loaded. The pitcher winds up—and everything goes dark. A lightning strike has knocked out your cable connection, and that’s the ballgame.

• The gigafix: If you have fiber internet, your connection is protected from certain weather. Fiber-optic cables are made of durable, flexible glass and the lines are buried underground, making them less vulnerable to moisture, extreme temperatures, and electromagnetic fields. And fiber won’t degrade the way copper can.

Security measures

• The problem: You’re working remotely, and your day-to-day routine involves sending and receiving confidential information. To protect your client’s sensitive data and your company’s files, you use a virtual private network (VPN). Connecting to the VPN is spotty, and you keep losing your connection. Despite all the safety precautions you’ve taken, there’s still that lingering fear that your data has been exposed.

• The gigafix: With a secure, high-speed internet connection you can connect to your VPN. Using a secure VPN encrypts your data, so it’s harder for outside parties to intercept it. VPNs also hide your IP address from internet providers.

Big presentation, even bigger file sizes

• The problem: You’ve worked hard to get that presentation perfect. It’s loaded with eye-catching photos, diagrams, and graphs. But your internet connection lacks the speed and bandwidth to handle these sizeable files. Your presentation either didn’t upload or, even worse, it went through with gaping holes where crucial charts and graphs didn’t load.

• The gigafix: With remarkable gigabit internet upload speeds, robust bandwidth, and nearly flawless reliability, you’ll enjoy symmetrical upload and download speeds, so you can feel confident that images, graphs, or video clips transfer with your presentation. With gigabit internet, uploads are fast and seamless.

Immersive interaction

• The problem: You’re in an epic battle royale, and the competition is tough. You’re positioned for success when, suddenly, your system lags. What’s the cause? It’s likely due to sluggish speed or the load bogging down your connection. Your system could be suffering from image overload or too many devices and users sharing the connection.

• The gigafix: Want to know how to get fast internet internet speed for gaming? Get gigabit internet on your team. Fiber optics give you the speed and bandwidth you need to accommodate multiple outside competitors and ultra-HD graphics. Even your competitors’ trash-talking will come through loud and clear.

Isn’t it time you got gigabit internet?

Quantum Fiber has solutions for many internet problems. With astonishing speeds up to 1 Gbps, up to 3 Gbps, and up to 8 Gbps and 99.9% reliability based on network uptime or availability, you have speed for lots of needs. No matter how many users or devices you have under your roof, we have a fiber-optic internet  Gigafix to help whatever streaming, gaming, or connecting issue comes your way.