Gig is short for Gigabit which is a measurement unit commonly used when talking about Internet network speeds. So when you hear Gigabit or Megabit or Kilobit, you’re really talking about Bits Per Second (and multiples thereof). It’s a measurement of how many Bits (chunks of data) travel over a network per second.

When it comes to Internet Speeds, bigger is better. The more data your connection can support, the better quality video you can stream, the more video you can simultaneously stream, and the better overall experience you will enjoy.

Here’s a breakdown of common network speed units and what they mean:

1 Bit (Bps) = 1 Bit per second
1 Kilobit (KBps) = 1,000 Bits per second.
1 Megabit (Mbps) = 1,000 Kilobits per second or 1,000,000 (million) Bits per second
1 Gigabit (Gbps) = 1,000 Megabits per second or 1,000,000,000 (billion) Bits per second

In Mississippi (and most of the U.S.) the typical ‘high-speed’ internet connection tops out at around 75Mbps. And in most neighborhoods in our area, people are lucky to be able to get even 25Mbps! And what’s the result? Super-slow downloads, endless video buffering, and sometimes (during peak hours) the complete inability to stream your favorite shows and movies via services like Netflix or Hulu!

The reason for this is that a typical 25 Mbps Internet connection simply doesn’t have the ability to move the amount of data that most folks demand.

One way to think about your Internet connection is as a pipe. A typical 25 Mbps Internet connection is like trying to push hundreds of gallons of liquid through a coffee stirrer, while a C Spire Fiber to the Home Gigabit Internet connection is like passing that liquid through a huge water main purpose built to handle that capacity.

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