The Fastest Internet Connection in South Texas

SMITHSON VALLEY, TX — GVTC is taking Internet connections to a new level in South Texas. The San Antonio-area telephone cooperative is offering an 80 Mbps download, 20 Mbps upload package to both residential and business customers over a fiber connection - double the previous top tier of 40/10 Mbps that GVTC introduced in December 2009.

The faster speeds are designed to meet consumers' growing use of bandwidth. According to Pew Research, 78 percent of adults own two Internet-dependent devices, and adults 45 years and under own four Intenet-connected gadgets. Network performance vendor Sandvine says Netflix accounts for 30 percent of peak download Internet traffic, and similar video services account for an additional 20 percent.

GVTC is using social media to let customers try the fastest Internet speed at no extra charge. The first 25 eligible GVTC customers who sign up through Facebook can qualify to use the 80 Mbps connection for 30 days at no additional charge. At the end of the trial period, one lucky customer will be able to keep the 80/20 upgrade for an additional five months.

GVTC is in the middle of a $35 million dollar project to upgrade existing customers with fiber to the home. When the project is complete, more than two-thirds of GVTC's service area will have a fiber connection available. Already more than 230 subdivisions have been connected with fiber to the home.