Google Fiber is creeping into Atlanta, Nashville, Tenn., and into North Carolina at Charlotte and the Research Triangle at Raleigh-Durham to deliver gigabit service up to 100 times faster than basic broadband. While the network speed may be zippy, the search company's network roll out is more like dial-up speed and super methodical.
This week Google Fiber is moving into its next stage in half of the cities that are candidates for the service. The latest set of metro areas, all in the southern U.S., brings Google Fiber's reach to 18 cities.
For more than a year now, Google has been working with leaders in the selected cities, says Dennis Kish, VP of Google Fiber. That was the easy part, compared with the work on the ground that is just beginning now, he explains.
"Our next step is to work with cities to create a detailed map of where we can put our thousands of miles of fiber, using existing infrastructure such as utility poles and underground conduit, and making sure to avoid things like gas and water lines," says Kish. "Then a team of surveyors and engineers will hit the streets to fill in missing details."
Google Fiber hasn't established a time frame for the service deployment. However, the officials in Charlotte, N.C., expect the service to be up and running in about two years.
On top of the wait time for the technology aspect, there's also a community movement that must take place for residents to tap the fiber service. Several homeowners in a community will have to subscribe to Google Fiber, which could have a $300 installation fee, for the service to launch in their neighborhoods.
Yet despite what some describe as steep barriers to entry, communities have been clamoring for Google Fiber since the project launched as a test in a small Palo Alto., Calif., community and citywide in Kansas City, Kan., according to reports.
Kish says Google will soon update the status on the next round of candidates cities -- San Antonio, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Jose, Calif., and Portland, Ore. -- later on in the year.
"Today, we aren't the only ones talking about gigabit broadband -- from the White House to main street, a chorus of new voices is standing up for speed," says Kick, adding later: "Communities across America are demanding more speed for their own homes and businesses, and we're going to keep doing our part to help."
