Internet Speed: 23.6 Mbps downlink; 7.8 Mbps uplink

Population: 1.56 million

Internet Coverage: 95% of residents

Main Internet Services: Cable, DSL, Fiber

Main ISPs: Xfinity, RCN, Verizon, FIOS by Verizon

Colocation Datacenters: 22 (prominent companies: vXchnge, ViaWest, Digital Realty)

According to Akamai.com, the average downlink Internet speed in Philadelphia is 23.6 Mbps and the average upload speed is 7.8 Mbps.

In 2016, the population of Philadelphia was 1.56 million. More than 95% of residents have access to the Internet, especially broadband connections.

Main Internet services provided in Philadelphia are the following:

– Cable – 98.9% coverage
– DSL – 89.3% coverage
– Fiber – more than 80% coverage

Main Internet Service Providers located in Philadelphia are as follows:

– Xfinity (Cable) – 98.9% availability
– RCN (Cable) – 90% availability
– Verizon (DSL) – 80% availability
– FIOS by Verizon (Fiber) 75% availability

Gigabit Internet in Philadelphia

In November 2016, RCN, one of the biggest ISPs in the United States, announced that they would roll out gigabit Internet services to residents located in Philadelphia. The announcement came shortly after similar services were launched in other northeastern states, such as Delaware and New York. In preparation for the introduction of this service, the company had previously introduced the latest DOCSIS 3.1 technology, which allows the company to provide the service through the same wiring that users have in their homes.

According to datacentermap, there are currently 22 colocation datacenters located in Philadelphia. Major providers include the following:

– vXchnge
– ViaWest, Inc.
– Digital Realty
– Keystone NAP
– Broadview Networks
– Digital Edge

Colocation Providers in Philadelphia

One of the biggest colocation providers located in Philadelphia is vXchnge, whose main facility is established in downtown Philadelphia. The datacenter is an ideal solution for local customers looking for local solutions, but also for customers looking to lease space in a datacenter which is about halfway between New York and Washington, DC, making it an ideal solution for eastern seaboard connectivity. The facility has secure cabinets, cold aisle containment, dedicated fiber optic pathways from the street with all forms of copper and fiber connections available. Additionally, the datacenter is also carrier-neutral, being connected to diverse ISPs and other colocation providers established in the region.

Colocation Industry in Philadelphia – Current Trends

Although the local market has shown a lot of potential in recent years, Philadelphia is regarded as a secondary colocation market in terms of national importance. As such, capital investments tend to be poured into other neighbor markets which are considered more vibrant and lucrative, such as New York and New Jersey.

Demand

The local economy is based on diverse private sectors, such as healthcare, medical, manufacturing, as well as financial services. Most demand for colocation services is driven by these companies, in addition to diverse companies looking for cheaper alternatives to New York and New Jersey.

Advantages

Reasons which entice colocation providers to build in the region are centered around the low risk for natural disasters, the relatively cool climate which offers many hours of free cooling throughout the year, and also around the Internet infrastructure, which sees heavy investments from the private sector.

Major web hosting providers located in Philadelphia are the following:

– Corello Hosting
– Quonix

All the companies that we have reviewed provide core hosting services, such as Shared, VPS, or Dedicated Hosting, with a strong emphasis on VPS and Dedicated Hosting. With a few exceptions, most companies do not operate their own datacenters but lease space in facilities operated by other providers, such as ViaWest and Digital Realty.