Good news, Nashville dwellers. Gigabit Internet is coming your way, thanks to AT&T.
The company on Monday confirmed plans to bring its super-fast U-verse with GigaPower service to residents and businesses in the area. The fiber-based network will offer symmetrical upload and download Internet speeds up to 1 gigabit per second as well as some "advanced TV services," like the ability to watch and record five simultaneous HD streams.
"We are very pleased that AT&T has selected Nashville for its ultra-high speed fiber network," Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, said in a statement. "This kind of technology is important to keep our city vibrant and attractive, and it is further proof of how Nashville is positioned as a city of the future. We look forward to working with AT&T as they bring this exciting new service to our residents."
But how fast is gigabit Internet, exactly? AT&T said you'll be able to download 25 songs in one second, or a TV show in less than 3 seconds. HD movies should download in less than 36 seconds.
The company said it would announce specific locations and pricing for the Nashville market at a later date.
It could face competition from Google Fiber, as Nashville is among the 34 cities Google is considering for a Google Fiber rollout. The search giant's service is also rolling out in Austin, and is available in Kansas City and Provo, Utah.
AT&T back in April announced a major initiative to expand its ultra-fast fiber network to up to 100 cities nationwide, including 21 major metropolitan areas. As part of that announcement, AT&T said it is also considering five other Tennessee areas as candidates for the service — Clarksville, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, and Spring Hill.
Meanwhile in North Carolina, AT&T has been approved for a U-verse with GigaPower rollout in Raleigh-Durham and Winston-Salem, and is awaiting final approval in three other cities — Carrboro, Cary, and Chapel Hill.
AT&T in December first rolled out its gigabit Internet network in Austin, Texas. The company is also planning to expand the network to more households in Austin as well as Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas this summer.
Check out other cities offering gigabit Internet in the slideshow above.