Comcast to offer multi-gig Residential Internet Speeds in Champaign-Urbana, along with Hundreds of WiFi hot spots downtown and near U of I

Champaign-Urbana among first Midwest markets to get new  Gigabit Pro 2Gbps Internet service; Xfinity WiFi network reaches more than 12,500 hot spots in Champaign County…

Comcast announced plans to offer a new 2 Gigabit-per-second (Gbps) broadband Internet service called “Gigabit Pro” to residential customers in Champaign-Urbana and other locations in the company’s Greater Chicago Region, which spans Illinois, NW Indiana and SW Michigan.

“Residential customers in Champaign-Urbana will be among the first in the Midwest to have access to multi-gigabit Internet speeds,” said John Crowley, regional senior vice president of Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region. “We’re thrilled to bring the nation’s fastest residential Internet speeds to Champaign-Urbana and help strengthen the area’s position as a technology and innovation hub.”

Gigabit Pro will be available later this month to homes in proximity to Comcast’s fiber network, which totals 145,000 miles across the company’s service area.  Comcast has been delivering multi-gig (up to 10 Gbps) Ethernet service to businesses in the region since 2011.

More than 160 new WiFi hot spots throughout area to make it easy for customers to access the Internet, content on the go

In addition to significantly increasing Internet speeds Comcast is offering in the area, Comcast also announced plans to install more than 160 additional outdoor WiFi hot spots this summer in downtown Champaign and Campustown.  About two years ago, Comcast launched the Xfinity WiFi network in the region and since then has installed 12,500 total hot spots in businesses, homes and outdoors in Champaign County – and about 8 million in locations nationwide.

“People use the Internet on the go all the time, but wireless data plans can be expensive – especially for students – and megabytes can add up fast,” said John Crowley, Comcast’s regional senior vice president.  “Our goal is to provide a seamless WiFi experience to students, faculty and families in Champaign-Urbana.”

Xfinity high-speed Internet customers can access nearly 8 million hot spots in locations across the country.  They also can use WiFi to stream their favorite TV shows, movies and other content on their laptops and Android and iOS devices on the go.

The WiFi network is available to high-speed Internet customers for no additional charge.  Comcast offers non-customers two free one-hour Xfinity WiFi sessions per month.

How to find Xfinity WiFi hotspots

Comcast developed the Xfinity WiFi app for Android and iOS devices to help customers locate hot spots near them.  Customers also can visit www.xfinity.com/WiFi to locate hotspots and learn more about Xfinity WiFi.  To access Xfinity WiFi hot spots, customers should select “xfinitywifi” or “CableWiFi” from the list of available WiFi networks on their computers or mobile devices.  Once customers login to either of these networks, they’ll be connected automatically the next time they’re in range.

For more information, call 1-800-XFINITY or visit www.xfinity.com/WiFi.

About Comcast Cable

Comcast Cable is the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses under the Comcast Business brand. Comcast has invested in technology to build an advanced network that delivers among the fastest broadband speeds, and brings customers personalized video, communications and home management offerings.  Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

With nearly 7,000 local employees, Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region (chicago.comcast.com) serves customers in central and northern Illinois, including the Chicago area, northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan.  “Like” Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region on Facebook by visiting Comcast of Illinois, NW Indiana and SW Michigan.  “Follow” Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region on Twitter at @ComcastIllinois.