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SALT LAKE CITY — More Utahns are gaining access to the express lane of the information superhighway as the Beehive State will be the first in the country involved in a statewide rollout of super-high speed internet service from one of the largest service providers in the nation.

Comcast announced Tuesday the launch of new internet service that will deliver speeds up to 1 gigabit-per-second for residential customers throughout northern Utah. The company said lightning fast speeds will be over its current network infrastructure beginning immediately.

“With our 1 gig residential service, customers in Utah can take advantage of super-fast internet speeds using the existing wiring in their home,” explained Merlin Jensen, area vice president of technical operations for Comcast. “We’ve been on a pace of doubling our network capacity every 18 to 24 months, which ensures that we stay well ahead of consumer demand, and we will continue to make investments in Utah.”

Because the company’s new internet service will use existing communications lines, it has the potential for broad deployment in communities across eight northern Utah counties, Jensen said. Current or new customers can access gigabit speeds with the installation of a compatible cable modem, he added.

"(The) average speeds for the average residential customer is about 100 Mbps to 150 Mbps," Jensen said. "(That) would download a two-hour movie today in about one-and-a-half minutes. Today, with that gig service, we'd be able to do that in about 8 seconds."

The individual prices for stand alone gigabit service in Utah will be $160 per month with no contract, he said. However, two promotional prices will also be tested in different areas with a one-year service agreement. The company will test a $70 per month offer in certain areas in Salt Lake City, Provo and North Ogden, along with $110 per month offered across the rest of the state, he said. Additional prices and promotions may be tested in the future, he added.

"The proliferation of connected devices inside the home is driving up the need for additional speed and bandwidth for connectivity throughout the home," said Mike Spaulding, Comcast Mountain West region vice president of engineering.

While Utah is the first state with statewide access, others across the nation will follow, Jensen said. CenturyLink and Google Fiber currently offer gigabit service in limited service areas in Utah.

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