Internet speed: 274.3 Mbps downlink; 114.5 Mbps uplink

Population: ~1 million

Internet coverage: 98%

Main Types of Internet connections: Cable, DSL, Fiber

Main ISPs: Time Warner Spectrum, AT&T, Google Fiber, Grande Communications

Colocation Datacenters: Data Foundry, CyrusOne, OnRamp, Digital Realty, Vxchange

Web Hosting Providers: Verio, WebsiteSource, UMSHosting

According to Akamai.com, the average Internet downlink speed in Austin is 274.3 Mbps and the average upload speed is 114.5 Mbps.

In 2014, the population of Austin was approximately 1 million. According to IWS, more than 98% of the population has access to a wired Internet service, especially broadband.

The main types of Internet connections in Austin are as follows:

– Cable – 98% availability
– DSL – 86% availability
– Fiber – 24.9% availability

These services are provided by two major ISPs, along with other less popular providers. They are the following:

– Time Warner Spectrum (Cable) – 99.4% availability
– AT&T (DSL+Fiber) – 76.8% availability
– Google Fiber (Fiber) – 17% availability
– Grande Communications (Fiber) – 15% availability

As one of the fastest-growing tech hubs in the United States, Austin boasts one of the most competitive Internet markets in the country, with many ISPs introducing gigabit Internet services to the area as of late. The first company to roll out a gigabit network is AT&T in early 2014, followed by Google in early 2016, and Grande Communications in April 2017, as a direct response to the readily apparent success of the two companies. Time Warner Spectrum does not currently have a gigabit Internet service, while its prices remain significantly high relative to other companies.

At AT&T, prices for gigabit Internet start at $40 per month. At Google, prices start at $50 per month, while at Grande Communications, the prices go up to as much as $60 per month, in addition to capped monthly bandwidth.

According to datacentermap.com, there are currently a total of 23 colocation datacenters located in Austin. Major companies that operate facilities in this city are as follows:

– CyrusOne Datacenters
– Data Foundry
– OnRamp
– Digital Realty
– VXchange
– ViaWest
– TW Telecom

The broadband infrastructure of Austin is one of the most advanded in the United States, and Austin is quickly becoming a centralized hub for technology companies as a result. This has contributed significantly to the colo datacenter market. Many key players in this industry operate enormous facilities in Austin, and provide services to tech companies such as AMD, IBM, Cisco, Citigroup, Dell, HP, Intel, along with many others. Not only is Austin at very low risk for natural disasters, but it also has a robust telecom infrastructure, which encourages investment all the more.

Data Foundry is the biggest colocation provider in Austin, and operates facilities with a combined square footage of over 650,000. Their main datacenters are located in Houston, Los Angeles, as well as overseas, in Amsterdam and Hong Kong.

In Austin, this company operates a 250,000-square-foot facility, Texas 1, which is located on the 40-acre Data Ranch campus.

The datacenter’s power system is fueled by two independent substations, and features an undeground power feed enclosed end-to-end in a concrete duct bank. The chilled water system allows for various cooling solutions ranging from single cabinet deployments to high-density configurations. Texas 1 also offers a wide range of carrier-neutral options to its customers (there are over 17 network carriers available).

In September 2016, Data Foundry publicly announced that they have begun the construction of their latest datacenter facility, named Texas 2, located on the Data Ranch campus, alongside Texas 1. Upon completion, Texas 2 will provide retail and wholesale colocation space. The total cost of the datacenter amounts to $200 million, and the construction will be completed by 2018 at the latest.

The web hosting industry of Austin is very well developed thanks to the advanced telecom infrastructure, as well as the numerous datacenter facilities that have been emerging as of late.

Most web hosting providers operate their own facilities, or lease space in popular facilities managed by a third party – see Data Foundry.

One of the biggest Austin-based web hosting companies is Verio, which manage their own 30,000-square-foot facility located in Southeast Austin. You can take a complete virtual tour of their datacenter on their website. Their offering comprises Windows-based Shared Hosting only, and subsequent plans can be complemented with additional features such as SSL certificates, website builders, and antispam solutions. Pricing starts at $10.99 per month.