HFN, GigabitNow follow Google Fiber's lead with $70 gigabit service for Washington community

Highlands Fiber Network (HFN), an FTTH network provider serving Issaquah Highlands, Wash., has taken a page out of Google Fiber's (NASDAQ: GOOG) playbook by lowering the price of its 1 Gbps service from $200 to $70 a month.

GigabitNow, a Seattle-based Internet provider which will deliver the service to customers over the HFN network, said what drove it to cut the price of its service that it has offered since 2011 was due to growing demand for FTTH and faster fiber Internet services.   

Given that the 1 Gbps tier is still relatively new, HFN said that it will roll out the service in phases across the Issaquah community.

On its website it said that some "portions of the current network infrastructure allow for Gigabit speeds while others do not" and that about "one third of the community is currently eligible for a Gigabit connection."

Similar to Google Fiber's fiberhood program, HFN said that requests for the Quantum Gig service tier will be reviewed by its engineers and will require technicians to inspect the fiber at each premises and new portal equipment. Following these evaluations, HFN will also make upgrades in its data center.

It will initially upgrade residential customers who submitted their home to be upgraded to 1 Gbps on a first come, first served basis. HFN said it "will be upgrading infrastructure and fiber in neighborhoods with the highest interest in Gigabit first."

Besides offering the 1 Gbps service, HFN also offers two symmetrical services: Quantum 10 offers Mbps speeds and Quantum 100 offers 100 Mbps for $50 and $60 a month, respectively.

The Issaquah Highlands network is a community owned fiber network governed by the community's Highlands Council. HFN serves over 3500 customers from apartments and single-family homes to large commercial businesses within the development.

For more:
- see the release

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