Posted by I remember back in 1999 when I was into online multiplayer games like Doom and Quake. The dream was to have a fiber optic internet connection. Any player who had that would have a huge advantage. Because of the higher speeds, data lag during an online match was not a factor. Fast forward 25 years and we are just now getting fiber cable installed in our neighborhood. They are a little late to the game. Both cable and cellular have improved their speeds in the past few years. So much so, that entry level plans offer speeds that are adequate for most households. I currently pay $65 per month for cable internet at 150 Mbps download speed. AT&T has a cellular internet plan with 90-300 Mbps for the same price.
Since they are still installing the fiber, I can’t compare plans right now. Cable internet has plans at 2 Gbps in select areas. Fiber internet has plans as high as 5 Gbps in some areas. Obviously, you are going to pay a premium for the fastest speeds, which would be a waste of money for most households. You can get a better discount if you bundle internet and cellphone with one provider. Of course, prices vary depending on where you live. If you just look at internet plans in the 300 Mbps to 500 Mbps range, the prices are similar. Even though fiber has finally made it to my neighborhood, the fiber cable is out near the street. If I decide to order it, they have to run an underground line to my home which is a separate charge. The cable is installed by a sub-contractor, and some people have had problems with fiber cable damage and performance issues.
The fiber installation has brought trucks with digging equipment to our neighborhood. During the installation, we have experienced several cable internet outages. I don’t know if that is related to the fiber install, but the work takes place close to the underground cable internet lines. It’s nice to have choices for internet access, but as speeds increase so do the prices. Don’t expect prices to drop because there is more competition. What they will do is offer special rates for first time customers. After the first year, the price will increase and what looked like a good deal is now equivalent to all of your other options. For the average home 150 Mbps is fast enough to streaming HD video and web surf on 6 devices.