Cincinnati Bell Inc. is testing a new internet service that is 30 times faster than an average broadband connection, paving the way for a broader rollout in the region throughout the next year.
Cincinnati Bell (NYSE: CBB), the region’s ninth largest public company in terms of revenue, launched a pilot program on Wednesday that will deliver 2 gigabit Internet to select consumer addresses. The company plans to add about seven to 10 new addresses to the pilot program every month, spokesman Josh Pichler told me
The pilot will run through 2021, he said. The plan is to complete network upgrades in the second half of 2021 that will allow Cincinnati Bell to expand its 2 Gig offering. The company said it will use learnings to eventually expand its fiber-to-home offering across Greater Cincinnati.
Since 2010, Cincinnati Bell has invested more than $1 billion into building its fiber network in the region. To date, that includes approximately 500,000 addresses, with the goal of expanding the network to additional homes every year.
“The introduction of 2 gigabit Internet is another important milestone in our commitment to provide solutions that are necessary to access jobs, educational opportunities and health care resources,” Tom Simpson, Cincinnati Bell’s chief operating officer, said in a release. “As we build out our fiber network, we are simultaneously investing in technologies to fully leverage that network and deliver cutting-edge connectivity to our customers.”
Cincinnati Bell launched 1 Gig Internet back in 2014. Cincinnati Bell said the 2 Gig offering is twice as fast as any other provider in the region. With 2 Gig service, for example, users can:
- download a 2.5 hour, 1080p movie in 28.5 seconds.
- download 30 five-minute songs in 0.9 seconds.
- download a 10GB game in 42.2 seconds.
Cincinnati Bell is also one of the first internet service providers nationwide to offer 2 Gig service, joining the likes of Google Fiber, which is currently testing 2 Gig service in Nashville, Huntsville, Ala., and more recently, Charlotte, with plans to launch more widely in 2021.
Cincinnati Bell’s 2 Gig service will cost $299 a month, the company said in the release. Cincinnati Bell will continue to offer additional tiers of fiber-based broadband access, starting at $44.99 a month. Those interested in participating in pilot project can find out more here.
