Comcast said Thursday it will roll out several higher-speed Internet options to more than 600,000 homes in the Twin Cities this year.

The cable and Internet service provider would not reveal its prices, but the announcement comes as competition heats up for Internet connections in the Twin Cities.

CenturyLink is rolling out 1-gigabit Internet service across the metropolitan area, and US Internet is expanding its fiber optic network in south Minneapolis.

Comcast, which leads the local Internet market, plans to offer 2-gigabit service to its customers, along with a new 250-megabit service.

“The Twin Cities is one of the most sophisticated technology markets in the country, and we’re excited about the opportunity to bring an entirely new level of broadband access to the region,” said Jeff Freyer, a local vice president for the company, in a statement.

Gigabit Pro, the 2-gigabit service, will be available to homes within proximity of Comcast’s fiber network and will require installation of professional-grade equipment.

The company said it has invested billions of dollars to extend optical fiber close to homes to facilitate the higher data speeds. The company has built more than 145,000 route miles of fiber across the country. In addition, Comcast is currently testing a multi-gigabit technology that may roll out next year.

The question of pricing for Comcast’s new services won’t be answered until later this year, when the services roll out to customers, a company spokeswoman said.

Last month, US Internet was offering 100-megabit service for $48 per month in its limited geographic footprint, less than half the $115 price offered by Comcast. CenturyLink’s price for the same service was $92. A pricing chart is available here.

Adam Belz • 612-673-4405 Twitter: @adambelz