John Stephen | The Valdosta Daily TimesGeorgia House Speaker David Ralston visited Valdosta Thursday to observe  the Mediacom launch of exponentially faster Internet speeds in the region.

VALDOSTA — Imagine downloading a two-hour HD movie in 28 seconds.

That’s how fast Mediacom’s new 1Gig Internet is, which just launched in Valdosta and dozens of other communities in southwest Georgia.

The 1Gig speed is 40 times faster than the minimum speed required by the federal government, and it’s eons beyond the modest and even sluggish speeds many experience locally, especially in rural areas.

Mediacom has spent $1 billion in network upgrades to bring the faster speeds to 275,000 homes in 52 communities in the region.

Mediacom announced the higher speeds Thursday in Valdosta, and a slew of local and state leaders — including Georgia House Speaker David Ralston — gathered to celebrate the new technology.

“Rural Georgia needs faster broadband to attract jobs and businesses which rely on this crucial infrastructure,” Ralston said. “Mediacom’s investment to bring gigabit speeds to Valdosta and other communities in southwest Georgia means these communities can compete in the digital economy.”

The faster Internet speeds are now available to local Mediacom customers, but when speeds go up, so does the price.

The 1Gig package has a list price of $139.99 a month, but promotions are available to chop that number down to $89.99 for the first year.

Myrna Ballard, president of the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, said just as electricity became a necessity in the 1900s, Internet is now a necessity for local residents.

“Technology today is nearly essential for both commercial and residential use. So anything we can do as a community to help expand those services, it’s all for the best,” she said.

“It’s great to have forward-looking companies like Mediacom who understand that communities that don’t have adequate infrastructure are simply going to languish, and we’re not going to let that happen.”