Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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Depending on how old you are, you can probably remember when "fast Internet" meant tying up your telephone line with one of those screechy, 56k modems. And yet now, not too many years later, a connection that's 100 times faster than the old dial-up service is considered slow. So an ultrafast Internet connection may sound like a luxury at this moment. But with the explosion of new Internet-based services and Internet-connected devices, it will soon become a necessity. Which is why communities are making CenturyLink high-speed fiber Internet — with speeds of up to one full gigabit — available on every new home.
Exactly what is a gigabit?
"Gigabit" means an Internet connection that delivers 1,000 megabits of data every second. The average connection in Utah is just under 10 megabits per second, which sounds pretty fast. But that speed can feel downright sluggish, especially when several people at your house are online at the same time. A connection that's over 100 times faster would eliminate the traffic jam and let the whole family cruise the Internet at light speed.
What can you do with a gigabit?
Imagine downloading a high-definition movie in less than ten seconds. Or uploading 1,000 photos in 30 seconds. Or connecting seamlessly to the office from home. Or simply letting everyone in the family do their thing — watch football, stream movies, play online games and videos, do research for a homework project — without any lag whatsoever. Oh... and those are just the obvious benefits.
A smarter everything
What happens when you hook up an everyday object — a thermostat, for example — to the Internet? It gets crazy smart, that's what. Let's say you're on vacation and just realized that you didn't set your thermostat accordingly. Since your thermostat is connected to the Internet, all you have to do is open an app on your smart phone and adjust the thermostat. All sorts of ingenious, Internet-connected products, from home security systems to sprinkler controllers to garage door openers, are coming to market. And with more and more things in your home linked to the Internet, a superfast connection becomes essential.
TV on steroids
High-speed Internet is transforming television, offering a whole new level of programming and functionality. For example, CenturyLink Prism TV gives you new ways to search for movies and programs across more than 200 channels. It also lets you record multiple programs at the same time and begin watching a program on one TV and pick up where you left off on another TV or on your mobile device. And with a gigabit speed, every person in the family can watch their own favorite program in high definition … at the same time.
See it in action
On Saturday, September 19, from 11am to 4pm, you can get a demonstration of Prism TV and the blazing fast Internet speeds at Daybreak's Fall Open House Tailgate Party. The Tailgate Party will also include tasty foods, fun for the kids, and 11 all-new model homes of Daybreak's Brightdoor Home Gallery. So come grab a treat, tour the homes and imagine living with the fastest Internet in the valley.
