Greater Chicago Region Comcast subscribers to access 2-Gbps Gigabit Pro service

More than 2.4 million Comcast customers in the operator's Greater Chicago Region will have access to the cable MSO's Gigabit Pro 2-Gbps broadband service later this month. As has been the case with Comcast's other Gigabit Pro rollouts, the service will be available to any home within close proximity of Comcast's fiber-optic network and require an installation of professional grade equipment.

The new service roll out will include not only parts of Illinois in the Chicago area, but some markets in Northwest Indiana as well. Comcast did not provide further deployment details, other than to say the service would be available "broadly across the region."

Comcast also plans to offer a multi-gigabit fiber service through its Xfinity Communities program for residents living in multiple-dwelling units such as apartment complexes. The cable provider has been delivering multi-gig (up to 10-Gbps) Ethernet service to businesses in the Greater Chicago region since 2011.

Chicago is the fourth announced roll out for the fiber to the home (FTTH) based Gigabit Pro, following similar announcements for Atlanta, California, Chattanooga, and Florida earlier this year (see "Comcast one ups Google Fiber, AT&T with 2-Gbps broadband in Atlanta," and "Comcast to bring 2-Gbps FTTH to California" for example). AT&T has targeted Chicago for its U-verse with GigaPower 1-Gbps FTTH service (see "Atlanta, Chicago next up for 1-Gbps GigaPower service says AT&T").

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