Ximena (he-MEN-ah) Rogers, Director of Product Management at IQ Fiber, had a busy month! Within weeks of starting her new role as Director of Product Management, she successfully launched the 5 Gig speed plan at IQ Fiber. We sat down with Ximena to learn more about the launch and how she’s finding her time at IQ Fiber so far.
Q: Hi Ximena! Thank you for sitting down with us today. First off, can you tell us more about 5 Gig internet and what it means for IQ Fiber customers?
A: Hi, sure I’d love to! 5 Gig internet (equal to 5,000 megabits per second) is the fastest speed available from IQ Fiber. There are a few reasons why 5 Gig fiber-optic internet is the best offering on the market.
First, IQ Fiber is a 100% fiber-optic network. This is a huge leap forward in technology that most homes in North Florida have never experienced before now. Among many other benefits, fiber-optic internet offers symmetrical speeds. This is a whole new ball game for homes with many connected devices.
All of that said, our 5 Gig plan is the only one that also supports multi-gig WiFi. This added bandwidth is important for homes that have many devices connected over WiFi. We have also priced our 5 Gig plan to be the best value for internet service in North Florida. Our customers love that there’s no catch – you don’t need to bundle a bunch of services or sign a contract. The price you see is the price you pay.
Q: Can you talk a bit about what symmetrical speeds are and why they are important?
A: When the upload and download speeds you receive to a device are equal, you are receiving symmetrical speeds. Traditional internet mediums like coax cable and dial-up are not symmetrical, which means you will have much higher download speeds than upload. In fact, upload speeds often aren’t advertised because they are so low. Cable internet companies were able to get away with this in the past because most households downloaded much more data than they uploaded.
This is no longer true since cloud programs, video conferencing, and streaming have become a huge part of our daily lives and require strong upload speeds. Often, the households that would benefit most from the IQ Fiber 5 Gig plan are also those who upload data most frequently. Whether you’re uploading data, downloading it, or doing both at the same time across different devices, you won’t have any issues when using fiber – especially on 5 Gig.
Q: IQ Fiber was recently named as having the fastest internet speeds in Jacksonville! What are your thoughts on this accomplishment?
A: That’s right, it’s official – IQ Fiber has the fastest, most reliable, and most responsive internet speeds in Jacksonville!
It’s a big deal for us because Ookla is a leader in internet speed testing, so having their data validate what we already believed to be true is very rewarding. We’re proud to have statistical proof of the value we deliver to our customers, but it’s also a testament to our team. From shovels in the ground building a network from scratch to releasing a new 5 Gig plan, the team has come a long way in just over two years. It’s something to be incredibly proud of.
Q: Tell me more about your experience in the telecom industry. What have you enjoyed most about working at IQ Fiber so far?
A: I’ve have been in the telecom industry for quite a while now. Changes are constant as technology continues to evolve, which has made my career very interesting! Most of my experience is in coaxial cable, so moving into fiber-optic internet and seeing the incredible speeds we can deliver has been awesome.
I love that IQ Fiber was built with a goal of improving the human experience. That goal has been built into every process and interaction from the beginning, and you can tell. We have a great team of people who are fun to work with and are always striving to improve.
Q: Who benefits the most from 5 Gig speeds?
A: I refer to our 5 Gig customers as having “busy homes”. This doesn’t always mean there are a lot of residents, but that there are many connected devices in the home. The need for more speed and bandwidth only increases each year as we become more connected to the internet as a society. 5 Gig is a great solution for future-proofing your home, meaning you sign up for IQ Fiber now and continue to have all the speed your household needs for years to come.
My own home isn’t connected to fiber yet, so I’m stuck with coax cable. My family’s biggest frustration is having extremely low upload speeds. Streaming sports, taking video calls, and gaming have been next to impossible even though we’re on a plan that should offer over 1 gig. We are perfect candidates for 5 Gig, so I’m waiting for IQ Fiber to come to my neighborhood!
Q: Can you talk more about the benefits of our new WiFi equipment? Why is having WiFi 6e-compatibility important?
A: First off, WiFi 6e is a version of wireless technology, which is what’s used to connect devices to your home network. WiFi 6e is the first version to include the 6-GHz radio band, which drastically increases the bandwidth available in your home. This means more speed and less interference as you connect more devices over time.
Having 6e-compatible equipment along with 5 Gig speeds is a perfect way to future-proof your home. Most newer wireless devices include WiFi 6e technology, which means they only perform at their best when connected to a compatible network like ours. The latest equipment from IQ Fiber is superior to the competition (and even other fiber providers) who are still using WiFi 6 or even more outdated technologies.
Q: Thank you for your time and all of this awesome information! Last question – How do 5 Gig customers get the most out of their internet?
A: The most important thing to understand about internet technology is that speeds are at a household level. There are a few things that will impact exactly what kind of speeds you see to the devices in your home. Here are some factors to keep in mind:
First, actual realized speeds are based on device compatibility. The technology enabled on your devices will impact the speeds you see, so in general you’ll see better performance from newer devices. Of course, 5 Gig is great to have regardless because you’ll still get the benefit of more speed and bandwidth throughout the entire home.
Placement is also important in the home. This is why during your installation appointment our technicians will discuss the best location for your equipment to reduce interference. Glass, mirrors, and thick walls are barriers for radio waves, so we choose a central location in the home that reduces those barriers and gives you whole-home WiFi.
At IQ Fiber, we’re not just about providing transparent and reliable connectivity; we take pride in being a locally based company right here in North Florida. We are committed to delivering exceptional customer service and the fastest 100% fiber-optic speeds. We also offer a Stress-Free Guarantee — no hidden fees, no contracts, and no data caps, giving you the flexibility to cancel at any time. Don’t miss out – Check to see if your home is available for service today!