Posted by Heidi Schwartz
Ultrafast Internet speeds—up to one Gigabit per second (Gbps)—are coming to Greater Omaha, instantly elevating it to one of the fastest broadband cities in America. The Greater Omaha Chamber is lauding the positive impact CenturyLink’s multi-million dollar investment will have on Omaha’s existing and future business environment.
Greater Omaha Chamber President and CEO David G. Brown, said, “CenturyLink’s investment is great news for our community, and I thank them for their confidence in Omaha.”
CenturyLink’s upgraded high-speed fiber network—connected to 48,000 Omaha homes and businesses initially—will deliver Internet speeds 100 times faster than average broadband speeds and will help drive economic and educational growth in the metro.
“This announcement enhances the Chamber’s national and international business, entrepreneurial and talent attraction efforts in Greater Omaha,” said Brown. “A significant portion of our high-growth companies are high tech or web-enabled technology companies. As one of a few select cities in the country to have active 1-Gig service, this is a distinguishing quality-of-life factor for locating here.”
The new network will, among other things, make it easier for businesses to exchange large data files with clients, participate in video conferences and make use of complex Web designs.
The Chamber is publicizing the new high speed network to site selection consultants, economic developers, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and those in the start-up community and data- ntensive industries. Other businesses and institutions that could benefit are those in the health care, education, manufacturing and banking sectors.
CenturyLink expects to have the new fiber network available to all 48,000 initial customers by early October 2013. The company will evaluate its Omaha 1 Gbps offer before determining future expansion of 1 Gbps service in other parts of the country.
