DES MOINES, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mediacom Communications today announced the company has launched 1 Gig Internet service across its entire Iowa footprint. As a result, all of the nearly 1 million households in the more than 300 Iowa communities passed by Mediacom’s fiber-rich digital network will be able to enjoy download speeds that are up to 40 times faster than the minimum broadband definition set by the Federal Communications Commission.
“Since 1999, Mediacom has invested $3 billion of private capital in Iowa to ensure that hard-working families throughout the Hawkeye State receive the same advanced communications services as America’s largest cities,” said Mediacom’s founder and CEO, Rocco B. Commisso. “As a result of these investments, I am extremely proud to announce that Iowa is not only Mediacom’s first gigabit state, but now leads all U.S. states in gigabit broadband availability.”
“I launched Connect Iowa nearly five years ago with the goal of making Iowa the most connected state for broadband in the Midwest,” said Governor Terry Branstad. “Today’s announcement by Mediacom means that over three quarters of the homes in our state now have access to world-class internet speeds, and that Iowa is positioned at the forefront of America’s transition into the gigabit era.”
“In today’s global marketplace, access to ultra-fast broadband services is critical to ensuring sustainable economic growth within our rural communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds. “The fact that Mediacom is making gigabit speeds available throughout its entire Iowa service area puts hundreds of small towns across our state on the cutting edge of broadband technology.”
Mediacom was the first major U.S. cable company to fully transition to the DOCSIS 3.1 “Gigasphere” platform, the latest generation of broadband technology. Beginning with today’s launch in Iowa and portions of western Illinois, Mediacom will utilize Gigasphere to bring gigabit broadband services to virtually all of the 3 million homes and businesses the company serves across its 22 state footprint. As DOCSIS 3.1 cable modems become more readily available in the marketplace, Mediacom will announce additional 1 Gig Internet launches on a market by market basis throughout the remainder of the year. In conjunction with each 1 Gig Internet announcement, Mediacom will also be introducing a new 500 Mbps tier of service.
“In addition to enhancing speeds for residential and small business customers today, the Gigasphere platform we have deployed also lays the groundwork for offering multi-Gig services in the future,” said Mediacom’s Chief Technology Officer, JR Walden. “This next generation technology is an excellent complement to the Gigabit+ Fiber SolutionsTM that Mediacom Business has been offering local businesses in our markets for many years.”
About DOCSIS 3.1 Gigasphere Technology
The cable network is composed of a hybrid of optical fiber and coaxial cable elements, and the specification that enables use of the network for broadband is known as Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification, or DOCSIS®. Gigasphere is the brand name for products and services that use a technical specification called DOCSIS 3.1, the next generation of DOCSIS services developed and advanced by CableLabs, the U.S. cable industry’s research and development consortium, and its members. DOCSIS 3.1 provides a near-term path toward continued improvement of cable broadband performance, with network capacity of up to 10 gigabits per second in the downstream and up to 2 gigabits per second in the upstream.
About Mediacom Communications
Mediacom Communications Corporation is the 5th largest cable operator in the U.S. serving over 1.3 million customers in smaller markets primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. Mediacom offers a wide array of information, communications and entertainment services to households and businesses, including video, high-speed data, phone, and home security and automation. Through Mediacom Business, the company provides innovative broadband solutions to commercial and public sector customers of all sizes, and sells advertising and production services under the OnMedia brand. More information about Mediacom is available at www.mediacomcable.com.
