Vivint, the home security, automation and energy management services provider, will soon offer a high-speed wireless Internet service to customers in select cities. Dubbed Vivint Internet, the service will offer speeds that are more than nine times faster than the average connection speed in the US.

Vivint Internet will offer symmetrical 100 Mbps upload / download speeds, competing directly with traditional ISPs. The company's approach to delivery, however, is quite different than the industry norm.

Instead of piping physical lines into the home as we're accustomed to, Vivint Internet uses a "home hub" deployment model.

The company first taps into local fiber optic lines and beams that signal to a hub home via licensed spectrum. The hub home then relays wireless Internet service over unlicensed spectrum to nearby homes. A single hub can supply wireless connectivity to as many as 24 customers in a neighborhood. There are no bandwidth caps, we're told, and participating hub homes will receive free Internet for life.

Vivint Internet already has 15,000 customers that have been participating in pilot programs in San Antonio, El Paso and various cities throughout Utah. Because the network doesn't require significant underground infrastructure, the company can roll out service to new markets within two to four months of the initial announcement.

Speaking of, Vivint said it plans to expand to three additional cities this year and offer service in eight new markets next year.

Pricing is set at $59.99 per month although there are promotional rates available in select areas. Vivint Voice, a VoIP service, is available as an add-on for $14.99 per month.