The Internet speed that we can contract today is much higher than that of a few years ago. We have been seeing a significant increase and that allows us to watch streaming content in high quality, download faster, play online without cuts, etc. But in this article we echo the latest news from google fiber and the speed they have reached. Let’s see to what extent it really interests currently and what we can expect in the future.
Google fiber already reaches 8 Gbps
Usually we can hire fiber optics up to 1 Gbps in Spain. It is true that operators that offer more are already appearing, but it is not normal. Even 1 Gbps we can say that it is not something so frequent, since many operators do not directly offer it. But in the case of Google fiber, which has been surprising us for some time, they have already managed to offer 8Gbps in Mesa, a town in Arizona.
The price is not cheap, as you can imagine. In fact, they offer 1 Gbps for $70 per month (about €64 at current exchange rates) and the 8 Gbps option costs $150 per month. In addition, the speed they offer is symmetrical, so customers will have the same both download and upload.
At the moment it is in process of expansion and they intend to reach more places in the coming months. It is something that is limited and it will take time to see those speeds in many more places. For now, what is clear is that Google intends to reach very high speeds and take it to more and more places.
Now, do we really need to have that much speed? The truth is that, in the vast majority of cases, we will not be able to take advantage of those 8 Gbps. In the first place, because the technology that we usually have does not support it. Most routers and network cards that we have do not work beyond 1 Gbps. But also, we are not really going to be able to use online services and platforms that require so much speed, except in very specific cases in which we connect many devices.
You need a 10G router
In order to reach those 8 Gbps of Google’s fiber, as well as other companies that hypothetically begin to offer these speeds in the future, it is necessary to have a 10G router. An example is the NETGEAR Nighthawk R9000 or the NETGEAR Pro Gaming XR700. Both devices have a 10G port with SFP+ with fiber optics.
These routers can also be connected to 10G compatible network switches. In this way, you will be able to really take advantage of fiber optics at these speeds, something that today, at least in Spain, you will not be able to use. However, in the future it is clear that offers such as Google’s will gradually arrive.
We have a tutorial where we talk about how to create a 10 Gbps home network. Just like a few years ago we used Fast Ethernet with a capacity of up to 100 Mbps, since we really didn’t need more, it is clear that in the coming years it will be necessary to have equipment with a capacity for 10 Gbps.
Ultimately, as you see the google fiber it goes one step further and already offers symmetrical 8 Gbps. Although it is a speed that we do not really need today, it is clear that in the future it will be the norm. New platforms and new uses of the connection will appear that will make us need to achieve these values.
