Comcast to Offer Increased Internet Speeds of 75 Mbps

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Comcast today announced it has increased Internet speeds for most of its residential customers by 50 percent to 75 Mbps at no charge. The company also plans to introduce a new 150 Mbps speed tier.

“We understand that Internet access is a necessity, not a luxury,” says Tim Collins, senior vice president of Comcast’s Heartland region that includes Michigan. “That’s why we’ll continue investing in our Michigan network to ensure our customers get the best overall experience — both at home and on the go with our robust Wi-Fi coverage.”

Collins says the new speeds will be available to the majority of new and existing customers in the Detroit, Ann Arbor, Jackson, Flint, and Lansing markets, among other cities in the state. He says customers who have the Blast! package will need to restart their modems to get the new higher speed. Meanwhile, Comcast will notify customers who need to upgrade their modems to receive the increased speeds.

The new speed allows customers to download a 5-minute song from the Internet in half a second or so, while a full-length movie takes about 2 minutes.

The upgrade follows Comcast’s announcement last month that the company will offer a multi-gigabit broadband service delivering speeds of 2 gigabits per second — nearly 20 times faster than current levels. Gigabit Pro requires installation of professional-grade equipment. 

In April, AT&T began offering a faster Internet service with download speeds of up to 75 Mbps. Introductory prices for the new service start at about $40 a month.

In turn, Detroit-based Rocket Fiber will begin offering speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps (1 gigabit per second) this fall for $70 per month for companies and residents in downtown Detroit. The service will expand from there.