Local residents can soon take advantage of faster internet speeds as Brewton joins selected regional cities in the 1 Gig Internet system, Mayor Yank Lovelace said Thursday.

Mediacom Communications confirmed the company is bringing 1 Gig Internet speeds to South Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. As a result, homes and businesses in 55 Gulf Coast communities along Mediacom’s fiber-rich digital network now have access to download speeds that are up to 40 times faster than the minimum broadband definition set by the Federal Communications Commission.

“In today’s global economy, access to high-quality, high-speed broadband is critical to driving local economic growth,” said Brewton City Mayor Yank Lovelace. “We’re glad Mediacom made a local investment to make gigabit broadband available in Brewton so that cities like ours can access the same or better broadband speeds as America’s largest population centers.”

Mediacom was the first major U.S. cable company to fully transition to the DOCSIS 3.1 “Gigasphere” platform, the latest generation of broadband technology.  The company will utilize Gigasphere to bring gigabit broadband services to virtually all of the 3 million homes and businesses within its 22 state footprint.

Rate reduced for families with students

In an effort to get Brewton students internet access, city officials have teamed up with Mediacom to secure a new affordable option for city residents, Mayor Yank Lovelace said Monday.

“Our city is committed to expanding access to all our residents, and this is a big step in the right direction,” Lovelace said. “The key to our economic growth is clearly tied to information technology and internet access is an integral part of that. Connect2Compete will open doors for students willing to learn and be ready to find careers in our emerging information technology sector.”

BrewtonMediacom Communications continues to close the digital divide in Alabama with the launch of the Connect2Compete broadband adoption program in partnership with national non-profit, EveryoneOn.

As part of Connect2Compete, Mediacom provides discounted high-speed internet service to families with at least one K-12 student who qualifies for the National School Lunch Program. The service is provides internet download speeds of up to 10 Mbps, and is priced at a flat fee of  $9.95 per month, plus tax. Mediacom provides a lease-free Wi-Fi enabled modem to ensure home Wi-Fi capabilities.

“The internet today is an essential communications and learning tool for educators, students and parents,” said Mayor Lovelace. “With Connect2Compete available to students in Brewton, we hope eligible families will sign up and connect to this low-cost internet service. Through our churches and service clubs, many of us know families with students who are at risk of being left behind in today’s digital world, and we can encourage them to use this solution.”    

According to the Pew Research Center, nearly half of American households with incomes below $30,000 a year lack access to broadband services at home. By comparison, 94 percent of American households earning $100,000 or more a year have home broadband service. This disparity in online access has created what is commonly referred to as the “homework gap” between school age children with broadband access and those without.

For more information about Mediacom’s Connect2Compete program or to apply, visit http://www.mediacomc2c.com/ or call 1-855-904-2225.