Comcast has built an additional mile and a half of fiber to reach over 200 downtown Chicago businesses in the Loop, South Loop and West Loop. This follows an extensive proactive fiber build in 2016 across the Loop and several adjacent neighborhoods.
With these latest buildouts nearly complete, businesses in the area have access to Internet speeds of up to 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps)—and up to 100 Gbps on a case-by-case basis. In addition, as a result of the network expansion, Comcast can bring new customers online quickly.
“Comcast shares our vision for the city of Chicago, and we applaud them for continuing to invest in its advanced technology infrastructure in and around downtown and the neighborhoods. In doing so, our businesses can run more efficiently, and their employees are able to work better remotely, which has never been more important,” said Jack Lavin, president and CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. “Connectivity has taken on new importance during the current public health crisis, and this additional investment will help Chicago’s business community continue to provide services the city and its residents rely upon.”
Since 2011, Comcast has invested $4.2 billion in technology and infrastructure in Illinois alone. As part of this investment, Comcast has been adding fiber to reach city, suburban and central and northern Illinois business and industrial corridors and employment hubs including Goose Island, The Old Post Office and 600 W. Chicago Avenue in the CBD, as well as in neighborhoods such as Englewood, Back of the Yards and Bridgeport. Infrastructure investments have also been made near Midway and O’Hare airports, in the Elk Grove Technology Park and in suburbs as far as Morris, West Chicago and Elgin, among others.
