The Future Is Now
Dallas becomes second market for AT&T's speedy fiber Internet service GigaPower
Park Cities residents clamoring for faster downloads now have a new Internet service option. U-Verse with AT&T GigaPower officially launched in Dallas-Fort Worth on August 14, making it just the second market in the nation for the speedy, all-fiber service.
GigaPower initially launched in Austin in December 2013 and has become immensely popular for its lightning quick downloads at 1 gigabit per second. The rate equates to 25 songs in one second, less than three seconds to download a TV show and about 35 seconds for an HD movie. TV services include the ability to record five shows simultaneously and store 1 terabyte of data.
Although the announcement was billed as DFW-wide, the service is actually limited to residents and "small businesses" in Highland Park and University Park. AT&T says it will continue to build the GigaPower network to reach customers in the rest of Dallas and a slew of suburbs by the end of 2014.
As a consolation prize, speeds up to 100 megabits per second were unveiled today in Allen, Arlington, Euless, Fairview, Granbury, Irving, McKinney, North Richland Hills, Weatherford and Willow Park — all areas that AT&T hopes to be GigaPower-eligible by December 2014.
"DFW residents and small businesses will be thrilled with the speeds of this new technology, which will make their lives easier and enhance their Internet experience," AT&T's vice president and general manager for North Texas Hardmon Williams said in a statement. "Work is done more efficiently, family entertainment comes faster, and sharing news and video with friends is effortless."
According to AT&T, the company has invested over $6.55 billion in improving Texas networks since 2011. Monthly prices for 1 Gbsp service start at $120 for Internet-only service. Plans that include TV range from $150 to $180 per month.
AT&T intends to expand GigaPower service even farther than Dallas, and has its sights set on 100 new cities including Charlotte, Greensboro, Houston, Miami, Nashville, Raleigh-Durham, San Antonio and Winston-Salem.