Charter announces higher speed internet package

ALTON – Charter Communications, which is the telecommunications service most Riverbend residents use, have announced higher speeds for customers' internet in the Riverbend area.

These faster speeds are part of Spectrum's Internet Gig package, which the company says is available to both business and residential customers in Alton, Edwardsville and O'Fallon, Illinois, which a representative from the company called “all of [Charter Spectrum's] footprint in Illinois. An email from Charter Communications said the speeds are in response to a demand for faster internet speeds from more connected devices, streaming video services and gaming than in previous years.

Increased speeds are created through two things, according to an email from Charter Communications. The first part is more efficient bandwidth management a representative said. This was made possible by converting to an entirely digital network while utilizing “advanced compression technology,” which is called DOCSIS 3.1. The representative said that technology is allowing the company to deliver gigabit connections through both fiber and coax networks, which already exist.

“We can broadly deploy the service and customers don't have to ensure construction in their yards and neighborhoods,” the representative said.

This system is part of Charter Communication's goal to spread this service to most of its 41-state service area. As of 2018, it has become available to more than 95 percent of the company's footprint.

“If you can get Spectrum internet at your home or business today – Spectrum Internet Gig and our new flagship and Ultra speeds are now available to you today,” the representative said.

Of course, these speeds do come at a cost. For residential use of these services, which include download speeds as fast as 940 Megabytes per second (Mbps), the price for new customers starts at $104.99, which is less than the regular price of $125.99. That service is added with no data caps or contracts, and Charter said it includes a modem and free in-home Wi-Fi while being backed by a 30-day guarantee.

For those are not concerned about increased download speeds, Charter Communications also offers smaller packages with slower services at 200 and 400 Mbps. Details for those packages can be found at nearby Charter stores.

Charter Communications said future increases in internet speeds would continue its pattern of ever-increasing download rates for its customers.

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