Online gaming’s been around for a minute, but it didn’t finally achieve its full potential until fiber internet became widely available. E-Sports are now a very real thing, with competitive gamers around the world battling for the prize. And now, thanks to some new developments, broadband fiber internet is a must for a maximum gaming experience.

Here are five big reasons fiber can take your game to the next level.

AI and gaming
Every single game developer has embraced AI. Why? Because it delivers hyper-realistic environments, responsive characters that play like real people, and evolving storylines. So game play is faster than ever before. With a fiber internet connection, you’ll be able to take full advantage of the latest AI-powered games.

Higher bandwidth
Fiber internet gives you high speeds and wide bandwidth, two main qualities your internet must have to handle serious online gaming. Traditional, copper-based internet is the OG of internet, and past its sell date. It’s maxed out, and simply can’t deliver what gamers want: blazing fast speed and no lag time. But fiber sends large amounts of data at the speed of light, enabling a seamless gaming experience. There’s so much bandwidth, in fact, that your marathon gaming sessions won’t hog it all. Your family and friends will still have plenty left for streaming movies, music, and more. Even when your entire neighborhood is online, a fiber connection means your bandwidth won’t slow down the action.

Faster downloads and uploads
Some internet providers do a funny thing with internet speed: They’ll give you decent download speeds, which is how quickly information reaches your computer. But they’ll put the brakes on upload speeds, or the time it takes for information to reach the servers that route to computers around the world. With symmetrical speeds—meaning your download and upload speeds are fast and consistent—you’re able to game competitively without compromising. Not to mention you can play games at up to 8K resolution, so every single pixel hits your screen fast and displays smoothly.

Low latency and ping rate
Fiber internet also offers far lower latency—the delay in sending and receiving data. Ping rate is the measure of latency, and top gamers know the lower the number, the faster the gaming. Compared to cable internet, which has a typical ping rate of 20-50 milliseconds, fiber can deliver ping rates as low as 14ms — meaning every command from your controller reaches the game’s servers almost instantly. So you’ll never get taken out of the game by a split-second speed delay.

No data caps
What’s the worst that could happen while gaming, after bandwidth, asymmetrical speeds and a high ping rate rob your experience? Having someone pull the plug completely. Yes, it’s amazing that some internet providers still place a limit on how much data you can use on your home internet plan. Not exactly ideal for serious online gamers. The bottom line: if an internet data cap is putting the brakes on the action, it’s time to switch providers. FYI: C Spire doesn’t use them.

Before you fire up your console, make sure your home internet is up for the game. Check for C Spire Fiber home internet availability here.