Move Over Google, Cox Communications Readies 1Gbps Broadband Deployment

If you've been dreaming about 1Gbps Internet service, hang tight, it may be headed to your location. However, it might not be Google or AT&T that delivers it, but Cox Communications, the third largest cable company in the U.S. Cox chief Pat Esser went on record saying his company plans to roll out 1Gbps Internet service before the end of the year.

It's worth noting that Cox already offers 1Gbps service to some of its commercial clients, so in some areas, the infrastructure is already in place. Now Cox wants to expand its reach into residential homes, especially as Google Fiber gains steam.

Cable
Image Source: Flickr (Michael Coghlan)

"I'm talking about plans over time for all of our customers in all of our markets having residential gigabit broadband speeds available to them, and we're excited about it," Esser said in an interview with Betty Liu at Bloomberg's Cable Show in Los Angeles. "Over the next two to three weeks, we'll be announcing which markets we're starting in."

Google Fiber is currently available to residents in Kansas City and Provo, Utah, with a planned deployment in Austin, Texas. Looking ahead, Google plans to expand into more than 30 additional locations in the U.S. Whether or not there will be overlap between Google Fiber and Cox Communications is not yet known.

AT&T has also gone on record saying it too plans to roll out 1Gbps service. Data caps and the uncertainty of net neutrality somewhat damper the enthusiasm, but overall, it's nice to see more carriers jumping on the high speed broadband bandwagon.