Comcast Center Philadelphia85.JPG

General view at the Comcast Center seen Monday, October 19, 2015 in Philadelphia, Pa. When the second Comcast Tower is complete, the building will become the tallest building in Philadelphia, topping the first Comcast Center by 150 feet. (Jeff Fusco/AP Images for Comcast)

(Jeff Fusco)

Comcast Business announced this morning it will build a fiber optic network with up to 10 gigabit speeds and cloud-based voice solutions for businesses and government organizations in the Huntsville area.

The telecommunications company's multi-million dollar plan for fiber-based Ethernet service complements the City of Huntsville's attempt to become a "GIG City" with high-speed, fiber optic Internet for businesses and homes.

"As Huntsville continues to grow and develop a vibrant, high-tech community, Comcast recognized the need to make this important technology investment," said Doug Guthrie, regional SVP for Comcast. "This effort will enable businesses to expand their operations, and reinforces Huntsville as a destination of choice for organizations requiring the most advanced technology available."

Comcast revealed last month it would make a major technology-related announcement for the area. Alex Horwitz, vice president of public relations for Comcast, said the investment would involve some new jobs, but it is not yet clear how many positions will be created.

Comcast said it provides the following services to schools, businesses, hospitals and other organizations:

Ethernet Private Line: point-to-point connectivity between two customer sites for bandwidth-intensive applications.

Ethernet Virtual Private Line: point-to-multipoint connection to enable customers to tailor bandwidth, performance characteristics, and cost.

Ethernet Network Service: multipoint-to-multipoint connectivity to connect organizations with high-bandwidth requirements and multiple locations across Comcast's network.

Ethernet Dedicated Internet: continuous, high-bandwidth connectivity between customers' LANs and the public Internet.

Bringing high-speed Internet to Huntsville was voted the most exciting idea for Huntsville's future in a 2014 poll for AL.com's "What works: Regionalism" project. Officials hope faster download speeds will satisfy the area's existing data heavy companies, as well as new businesses looking to open or move here.

[Related: 'GIG City' among top 2015 north Alabama business stories]

In a news release announcing the network, Comcast praised Huntsville's aerospace, telecommunications and military background. The company also mentioned the University of Alabama in Huntsville and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center as points of pride.

"Comcast's announcement is the latest in a series of wins for Huntsville's residents and businesses to receive high speed internet," said Mayor Tommy Battle. "We thank Comcast for making this significant investment in the city of Huntsville and for their belief in our high-growth market."



Rep. Howard Sanderford, R-Huntsville, said, "Huntsville will enjoy all of the advantages of having the fastest internet speeds and most cutting-edge technologies in the state - all designed to support our robust economy."

Note: Comcast will meet with AL.com this morning in Huntsville to discuss the new fiber optic network. Check back later for updates.