Why You Can Trust CNET Ziply Fiber’s New 50-Gig Plan Raises the Broadband Speed Bar Way Up
The new tier, five times faster than its top-flight 10-gig service, is now available in all Ziply Fiber markets.
Ziply Fiber released a new speed tier Wednesday with symmetrical upload and download speeds of 50 gigabits per second, or 50,000 megabits per second. The plan is now available in all Ziply Fiber markets, starting at $900 monthly plus a one-time installation fee of $600.
With the launch of its 50-gig service, Ziply Fiber became America’s undisputed leader as the fastest home internet provider. AT&T and Frontier top out at 5Gbps, Xfinity offers 10Gbps in select areas, and Google Fiber has flirted with 20Gbps, but no provider on our radar has come close to 50Gbps. To borrow a phrase, that’s ludicrous speed.
But, as CEO Harold Zeitz assured me before the release of Ziply Fiber’s 10Gbps plan (still among the fastest nationwide) some months ago, bragging rights as the fastest internet provider in America isn’t the motivating factor.
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The ultra-fast speeds are meant in part to demonstrate the capabilities of Ziply Fiber’s network. In a press release introducing the new plan, Zeitz states “customers can feel confident they’re on the best and fastest network available, regardless of speed tier. That’s what today’s launch is about.”
According to the press release, Ziply Fiber operates on a “100 percent fiber, multi-hundred Gig network, managed at just 40 percent capacity, ensuring no peak time slowdowns, lag or buffering that can occur on other providers’ networks.”
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Ziply Fiber internet plans
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber 100 | $20 | 100Mbps | 100Mbps |
| Fiber 300 | $40 | 300Mbps | 300Mbps |
| Fiber Gig | $60 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps |
| Fiber 2 Gig | $80 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps |
| Fiber 10 Gig | $300 | 10,000Mbps | 10,000Mbps |
| Fiber 50 Gig | $900 | 50,000Mbps | 50,000Mbps |
Do you need 50 gig internet?
Of course not. Even with the increasing number of connected devices in our homes and the rising popularity of multigig plans, 50Gbps is excessive, at least for now. But do you want 50 gig internet? Sure, everyone wants faster internet speeds.
Along with a little network flexing, Ziply Fiber’s 50 gig service adds to its selection of high-speed plans, giving customers more options “for all they do online from the home.” Maybe your online activity doesn’t call for 50Gbps -- I can’t imagine it would -- but if it did, or if you just want internet so fast you can brag about it, Ziply Fiber makes it available.
New or current customers across all Ziply Fiber markets in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington can sign up for the 50Gbps plan starting at $900 monthly. There is also a one-time installation fee of $600, and customers are responsible for providing their own router.
If you can get past the sticker shock of nearing one thousand dollars per month after taxes and fees, the plan is actually one of the best internet deals available considering cost per Mbps -- that is, what you pay versus what you get. While most multigig plans have a cost per Mbps of 3 to 5 cents or higher, Ziply Fiber’s 50 gig plan falls below 2 cents.
One customer will win free service for a year
Good deal or not, $900 per month is a big bite out of the household budget, but one customer will be able to enjoy the 50 gig service free for one year.
New or current customers in Ziply Fiber’s service area can enter the America’s Fastest Home Internet Sweepstakes “whereby one lucky winner will be the first customer to receive America’s Fastest Internet, free for a year.” For further details, including how to enter, visit America's fastest internet.com.