"With download speeds reaching 1,000 Mbps, you achieve 1 Gigabit of speed. A gigabyte is equivalent to 1,000 Megabits. This speed is exceptionally fast, capable of supporting up to 10 or more devices in a household. It can accommodate three or four devices streaming in Ultra HD simultaneously or manage real-time online gaming. Additionally, it can support standard online activities such as social media, web browsing, and email on more than 10 devices at the same time.

To get 1,000 Mbps or 1 Gig or more of performance in the real world, rather than theoretically, you will need a gigabit router with a built-in switch to accelerate to Gig speeds. Wi-Fi router speeds can range from 11 Mbps all the way to 1 Gbps or higher. For example, Wi-Fi 5 can reach 866 Mbps on an 80 MHz channel and 1733 on a 160 MHz channel. Several factors can impair connection speeds. These include network congestion at peak usage hours resulting in a narrower available bandwidth for data transfer; outdated equipment anywhere in the network including at your home; and connecting more devices than your signal strength can support at maximum speed.

Many cable companies offer a premium-level plan with speeds up to 940 Mbps or 1 Gig depending on their network infrastructure and equipment. Cable providers often use hybrid solutions that blend coaxial and fiber cable solutions resulting in speeds of 300 Mbps up to 1 Gig. An important distinction is the one between download speeds and upload speeds. With all connection types except pure fiber optic cable, download speeds are significantly higher than upload speeds. Fiber-optic cable connections deliver symmetrical, or matching, download and upload speeds, which truly separate this connection type from others. With a fiber optic connection, you can achieve download speeds of 1 Gig and upload speeds at the same rate. Uploading a 2-hour 1 GB move to a server can be done in under 25 minutes with a fiber-optic connection.