Internet FAQ · Speed
What is 1 gig internet, and is it good?
One gig internet is a plan rated at 1 Gbps, which is 1,000 Mbps.[1] It is good for homes that download big files, back up to the cloud or run several 4K streams at once; for browsing and a stream or two, 300 Mbps does the job.[1] In our FCC data, most U.S. locations have a gig-class plan reported, about seven in ten.[2]
What 1 gig actually delivers:
- At most 125 megabytes per second, so a 100 GB game takes roughly 13 minutes at full speed, against roughly 45 minutes at 300 Mbps.[1]
- No faster web pages. A page needs little bandwidth, so a gig plan does not load it three times faster than 300 Mbps.[1]
- Only on gigabit gear. Older Ethernet ports, cables and routers cap the speed before the plan does.[1]
The upload side separates the plans. Fiber gig plans send about as fast as they receive: gFiber's 1 Gig and Verizon's Fios 1 Gig list uploads of up to 1 Gbps and up to 880 Mbps.[3][4] Optimum's standard 1 Gig plan lists up to 940 Mbps down but only up to 35 Mbps up.[5] If you send large files or run video calls all day, that difference matters more than the download number.
Prices as of October 28, 2026: gFiber 1 Gig $70 a month plus taxes and a local access fee, Verizon Fios 1 Gig $90.00 a month, and Optimum's online 1 Gig offer $45 a month with the Auto Pay and paperless discount plus taxes and fees.[3][4][5]
Check our ZIP code internet availability checker to see which providers the FCC lists near you and whether fiber reaches your street. To confirm you need the tier at all, run our internet speed calculator first.
More internet questions
Sources
- AT&T: Mbps vs Gbps, Understanding the differences. AT&T, Mbps vs Gbps, accessed October 28, 2026. 1 Gbps as 1,000 Mbps and 125 MB/s, download-time examples, web pages, gigabit equipment and 300 Mbps as enough for many homes. ↩
- FCC National Broadband Map, Broadband Data Collection (nationwide data). FCC National Broadband Map, Broadband Data Collection, accessed October 28, 2026. Our location-weighted share of U.S. locations with 1,000/100 Mbps service reported, from filings as of December 30, 2025. ↩
- gFiber home internet plans. gFiber, home internet plans, accessed October 28, 2026. 1 Gig price and symmetrical speed on that date. ↩
- Verizon Fios Fiber-Optic Internet. Verizon, Verizon Fios Fiber-Optic Internet, accessed October 28, 2026. Fios 1 Gig speeds and price on that date. ↩
- Optimum Internet plans. Optimum, Optimum Internet plans, accessed October 28, 2026. Standard 1 Gig speeds and the online offer on that date. ↩
Written with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed. Editorial policy