SALT LAKE CITY — If you’ve done any shopping for internet service lately, you’ve probably run across the phrase “gigabit internet.” This is internet with download speeds of one gigabit per second — or 1,000 megabits per second.

To put that in perspective, the national average broadband speed in the U.S. is around 55 megabits per second, and with gigabit internet, you can download an entire 14 GB movie in under 2 minutes. That’s about as far from dial-up as you can get.

The biggest benefit of large bandwidth is that you essentially remove delayed speeds in your home. Everyone in the family could be streaming HD-quality video at once, and you’d see zero slowdowns. In the modern home, which often has multiple connected devices per person, that’s a thing of beauty.

So, how can you get your hands on this awesome speed? In Utah, several providers offer gigabit connections, although availability will depend on where you live. Here’s some information on the major players in Utah’s gigabit world to help you decide which service might be best for you and your family.

Comcast

Comcast is the newest provider to offer gigabit service in Utah, with a rollout earlier this year. Unlike other providers, Comcast is offering gigabit speeds in all its service areas, whereas most only have the infrastructure to do so in select locations. This means customers across the state are getting access to gigabit speeds for the first time.

Comcast does this by using its existing cable infrastructure rather than relying on building a new fiber-optic network to deliver service like its competitors. While this repurposing of its cable network does come with the advantage of wide availability, cable technology has some disadvantages compared to fiber, including slower possible upload speeds and lower reliability.

Related:

Comcast to offer gigabit across Utah service area

Comcast announced the launch of new internet service that will deliver speeds up to 1 gigabit-per-second for residential customers in Utah. The company said service will be over its current network infrastructure beginning immediately.

Comcast charges $159 per month for contract-free gigabit service with rollout promotions available to drop the cost as low as $70 per month in select areas, like Salt Lake City. If you can snag one of these promos, that’s not a bad deal. Otherwise, you’re looking at a pretty steep price for just internet service, no matter how fast it is. Comcast is also notorious for bad customer service, according to certain studies, so that may be another drawback.

Who’s it for? If availability is your primary concern, Comcast is the clear winner. It offers a wider coverage area than any of its competitors. This could change over time as other providers build out their networks. For now, though, if you want gigabit speed in Utah, there’s a decent chance Comcast is your only option.

CenturyLink

CenturyLink has been building its gigabit fiber network in Utah for several years. However, while the company provides service to large areas in Utah centered mainly around Salt Lake City and the southwestern areas, gigabit service is limited.

If you do live in one of the covered areas, you can expect to pay a good bit less than Comcast. In fact, barring Comcast’s promo pricing, CenturyLink’s gigabit service is nearly half the price at just $79.99. That’s not bad at all. You also get the benefit of a fiber connection that really comes in handy for uploading large batches of photos or videos.

Who’s it for? If you want fiber-optic gigabit service at a great price, CenturyLink is a great bet with its wide availability. Sure, it’s not available everywhere, but most major companies aren’t.

Google Fiber

Google Fiber is the search giant’s attempt at making faster internet access more readily available. Unfortunately, while the internet access is certainly fast, this service is only available in Provo and certain parts of Salt Lake City, at least for now.

Related:

Google Fiber officially coming to Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is set to join Provo and six other U.S. cities to offer super high-speed Internet service through Google Fiber.

Availability is Google’s big downfall. If you do happen to live in one of the service areas, Fiber makes a great pick. The price is excellent at just $70 per month. And, perhaps most importantly, Google is known for outstanding customer service across its entire product line, but it really stands out with Fiber.

Who’s it for? If excellent customer service is a priority for you, Google Fiber is the way to go. The price is also great—if you can get the service.

For now, these are the only options from major players. Each has advantages, and it’s hard to go wrong with any of them. The good news is that as fiber networks become more prevalent, we’ll likely see even more providers offering gigabit services in the future.

Availability is Google’s big downfall. If you do happen to live in one of the service areas, Fiber makes a great pick. The price is excellent at just $70 per month. And, perhaps most importantly, Google is known for outstanding customer service across its entire product line, but it really stands out with Fiber.

Who’s it for? If excellent customer service is a priority for you, Google Fiber is the way to go. The price is also great—if you can get the service.

For now, these are the only options from major players. Each has advantages, and it’s hard to go wrong with any of them. The good news is that as fiber networks become more prevalent, we’ll likely see even more providers offering gigabit services in the future.

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