AT&T has announced its plans Wednesday to bring a super-fast internet broadband service to California within this year, possibly in December.
The internet service, dubbed "GigaPower" by AT&T, will be launched in Cupertino, making it the first-ever community in Silicon Valley to get a taste of the company's 1Gbps internet connections, reports CNET.
Cupertino, California is where Apple headquarters is located, and will be the next addition to the list of cities where AT&T plans to launch its ultra-high-speed broadband service.
So far, only Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas are currently enjoying the 1Gbps download and upload speeds offered by AT&T, but the company has already committed to installing high-speed internet in 11 more locations, such as Charlotte, Greensboro, Houston, Miami, and Nashville.
The company's plans will directly compete against Google's intentions to install its own "Google Fiber" internet connection in the Bay Area, says PC World. Google has stated that it plans to install 1Gbps connections to Palo Alto, San Jose, and Sunnyvale, as well as its own hometown of Mountain View.
"AT&T's decision to launch and expand the GigaPower network goes well beyond our competitors' fiber plans," Eric Boyer, senior vice president of AT&T's U-verse Internet service said in an email to Bloomberg.
"Wiring Cupertino is a no-brainer given our presence here and Silicon Valley being the hub for technology innovation," Boyer added.
A 1Gbps internet connection is estimated to be fast enough to allow users to download high-definition movies in around 30 seconds on average, according to The Drum. AT&T's "GigaPower" service will be a hundred times faster than the average connections an American homes. It is also 20 times faster than what the company is currently providing to its subscribers.
Cupertino had submitted a bid for Google's Fiber broadband service, which was rejected by the company, leaving an opening for AT&T to come in and establish a competitive offering.
"We're really, really excited," said Cupertino Mayor Gilbert Wong about the news. "The council made it a priority to bring fast, reliable Internet to the city."