So you might have heard that Google is trial installing gigabit internet in parts of Kensas City. They’re offering it for $70 a month, and at that price, it becomes an ISP that is orders of magnitude cheaper and faster than anything else in the states. And now that it’s up and running, users have been running some real world speed tests and the results are in. Mike Demarais, founder of Threedee, told Ars Technica that he’s been seeing 700Mpbs on a wired connection and 200Mpbs on WiFi. “We just got it today and I’ve been stuck in front of my laptop for the last few hours,” Mike said. “It’s unbelievable. I’m probably not going to leave the house.” We wouldn’t either. So what did Mike download first? He Torrented Ubuntu… which took him two minutes! “Let me try it again right now.” Yes, Mike… Go ahead and download Ubuntu, just to see how fast your connection is. We… we’re green with envy.
Of course gigabit Internet is not a world first. Several Asian nations have had this for years, but to see it trickle into the typically several-years-behind North American continent, at an affordable price, is a first. And to have it so close we can almost smell it, well, that’s just cruel.
[ Ars Technica ] VIA [ Gizmodo ]
