Qwest says it is doubling its top internet download speeds in Seattle, Tacoma and other select markets across the country. The phone company plans to introduce download connection speeds of 40 megabits per second and upstream speeds of 20 mpbs, part of a move to keep up with cable companies that have begun to offer download speeds of 50 mbps and more.

Qwest is using "next-generation VDSL2 broadband technology" for the new internet speeds, which can "deliver faster video and picture sharing, better online video chat experiences and fewer delays in the popular Massively Multiplayer Online Games," the company said in a statement.

The fastest connection speeds cost $110 a month for the first year when combined with home phone service. Qwest is also offering existing customers an upgrade to faster upstream speeds.

Qwest said it has started deploying the faster speeds in Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver, Wash. The company is also launching the service in Denver, Tucson, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and other cities.

Update: Qwest spokesman Bob Gravely said the new 40 mbps download/20 mbps upstream speed currently has "limited availability" in Seattle. Gravely declined to say how many people can get the new speeds now in Seattle but said it's in the "thousands." He said it should be available to "tens of thousands" of customers by the end of the year.

"We have to deploy neighborhood by neighborhood and the deployments will be ongoing," Gravely said.

About 60 percent of Qwest Seattle customers right now have internet download speeds of between 1.5 and 7 mbps, and 40 percent have 7 mbps or higher (including speeds of 12 mbps or 20 mbps), Gravely said.