Portions of Beaufort County now have access to what Suddenlink has deemed the fastest Internet speed in the area.
The company introduced High-Speed Internet MAX 107.0 service to residential customers in Washington, Washington Park, Chocowinity and parts of Beaufort County on Monday.
The service features download speeds up to 107 Megabits per second and an upload speed up to 5 Mbps.
Suddenlink’s four existing services included 3, 15, 30 and 50 Mbps. All Suddenlink High-Speed Internet services include up to 10 email addresses, access to e-mail via WebMail, personal WebSpace and Spam Blocker.
Suddenlink also offers wireless home networking, called WiFi@Home, with enough power to connect all of a customer’s devices to Suddenlink High-Speed Internet.
Most local residents currently use 15 Mbps. Suddenlink’s Phil Ahschlager said residents who made the switch would notice a significant difference in their service.
“It would be like driving on a single lane road versus driving on an eight lane highway,” he said.
Ahschlager said the service might not be for everyone, but businesses and gamers would appreciate the extra speed. As Internet use continues to encompass more and more daily applications, from television to correspondence, the desire for faster connections will increase.
“Some consumers want a high-speed product and enhanced performance,” Ahschlager said. “And Suddenlink is willing to step up and put up the investment to bring it to our customers.”
Since 2006, the company has invested more than $150 million to upgrade Internet networks and expand service availability. Suddenlink’s most recent addition to its service area was the Grimesland and Simpson area. As other areas increase households, Ahschlager said the company would look at adding coverage.
Ahschlager said the cost of the service would depend on the number of services residents bought from Suddenlink. The company offers television, Internet and phone service. For most existing customers looking to add or upgrade the service, the service would be about $85 a month.
More information about local Suddenlink services is available by visiting the company’s website (suddenlink.com) and entering an address and ZIP code, or by visiting Suddenlink’s local customer care office at 910 Hackney Ave. in Washington.