Google Fiber
Google Fiber is a project to build a broadband Internet network infrastructure using fiber-optic communication.[1] The initial location was chosen following a competitive selection process.[2] Over 1,100 communities applied to be the first recipient of the technology.[3] On March 30, 2011, Google announced that Kansas City, Kansas would be the first community where the new network would be deployed.[4] The network was subsequently rolled out to Kansas City, Missouri and North Kansas City, Missouri, with plans underway for a further expansion to Austin, Texas and Provo, Utah.
After building an infrastructure of the network, in July 2012, Google announced pricing for Google Fiber. The service will offer three options. These include a free broadband internet option, a 1 Gbps internet option for $70 per month and a version that includes television service for $120 per month. The internet service includes 1 terabyte of Google Drive service and the television service includes a 2 terabyte DVR recorder in addition to the Google Drive service. The DVR will record up to eight live television shows simultaneously. The television options also includes a Nexus 7 tablet that will act as a remote control for the system. In addition, television service will also stream live program content on iPad and Android tablet computers. Neighborhoods that receive the service will be selected through demand from Kansas City area residents and Google has set up a website to pre-register for the service.[5]
Contents |
Plans [edit]
Google offers several different service plans to their customers:[6]
| Plan | Gigabit + TV | Gigabit | Free Internet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $120/month ($300 construction fee waived) | $70/month ($300 construction fee waived) | $0/month + $300 construction fee |
| Internet bandwidth (download) | 1 Gbit/s | 1 Gbit/s | 5 Mbit/s |
| Internet bandwidth (upload) | 1 Gbit/s | 1 Gbit/s | 1 Mbit/s |
| TV service included | Yes | No | No |
| Storage included | 2 TB DVR Storage (8 simultaneous recordings possible) 1 TB Google Drive |
1 TB Google Drive | None |
| Hardware included | Nexus 7 tablet TV box Network box Storage box (DVR) $250 Chromebook optional |
Network box $250 Chromebook optional |
Network box $250 Chromebook optional |
Technical specifications [edit]
Google Fiber will provide an Internet connection speed of one gigabit per second for both download and upload. This is 1,024 megabits per second, or 128 megabytes per second (there are 8 bits in a byte), or roughly 100 times faster access than what most Americans have.[6] Obtaining the full gigabit speed will require a wired Ethernet connection to the supplied router. The 802.11a/b/g/n wireless protocols cannot achieve 1 gigabit speeds. The best of these, 802.11n, has a maximum net data rate of 600 Mbit/s.
Locations [edit]
Kansas City metro [edit]
- Kansas City, Kansas - On March 30, 2011, KCK was selected from over 1,100 applicants to be the first Google Fiber community.
- Kansas City, Missouri - Seventeen days after the initial announcement regarding KCK, Google announced the decision to include Kansas City, Missouri, thus offering service to both sides of the state line. The network became available to residents in September 2012.
- Olathe, Kansas - On March 19, 2013 Google announced that the project would be expanded to Olathe.[7]
- North Kansas City, Missouri - April 19, 2013 Google announced that they were to begin a 20 year lease on the existing LINKCity fiber network in North Kansas City.[8] The system in North Kansas City will also be upgraded to Gigabit capacity.[8] There was a conflicting report in one local paper that Google is only renting LinkCity's "dark fiber" and will not be taking over operation of the LinkCity system.[9]
- Shawnee, Kansas - May 2, 2013[10]
- Raytown, Missouri - On May 3, 2013 Raytown officials announced that they had reached an agreement to bring the service to their town.[11]
- Grandview, Missouri - May 7, 2013[12]
- Gladstone, Missouri - May 13, 2013[13]
Austin metro [edit]
- Austin, Texas - On April 9, 2013 it was announced that Austin would become a Google Fiber City.[14]
Provo metro [edit]
- Provo, Utah - On April 17, 2013 it was announced that Provo would become the third Google Fiber City[15] Expansion of Google Fiber service to Provo, Utah will be accomplished through an agreement[16] with the City of Provo to acquire an existing municipal fiber network known as "iProvo". The agreement will allow Google to purchase the iProvo network for $1, while requiring Google to upgrade the aging network to gigabit capacity, offer free gigabit service to 25 local public institutions, and offer 5 Mbit/s service to every home in the city for free after a reduced ($30 in Provo compared $300 in Kansas City) activation fee.[17]
Selection process [edit]
Google originally stated that they would announce the winner or winners by the end of 2010; however, in mid-December, Google pushed back the announcement date of the selected Google Fiber community (or communities) to "early 2011" due to an increase in the time necessary to review all of the over 1,100 applications.[18][19][20]
The request form was simple,[21] and, some have argued, too straightforward.[22] This led to various attention-getting behaviors by those hoping to have their town selected.[22] Some examples are given below:
- Baton Rouge supporters remade the song "Give a Little Bit" by Roger Hodgson to "Give a Gigabit".
- Greenville, South Carolina utilized 1000 of their citizens and glow sticks to create "The World's First and Largest People-Powered Google Chain." From an aerial view, the title "Google" was colorfully visible.
- Topeka, Kansas temporarily renamed itself "Google"
- A small plane bearing a banner reading “Will Google Play in Peoria, IL?” flew over the Google campus in Mountain View, California.[23]
- One of the islands in Sarasota, Florida was temporarily renamed "Google Island".[22]
Municipalities and citizens have also uploaded YouTube videos to support their bids. Some examples:
- A YouTube video in support of Sarasota, Florida used the Bobby McFerrin song Don't Worry, Be Happy, which Warner Music Group does not allow to appear in user-uploaded videos.[22] A video for Sarasota was uploaded through Facebook’s video service.[22] Duluth's mayor jokingly proclaimed that every first-born child will be named either Google Fiber or Googlette Fiber.[24] The city of Rancho Cucamonga, California dubbed their city, "Rancho Googlemonga".[25]
- Comedian and United States Senator Al Franken made a YouTube video to support Duluth, Minnesota's bid.[26]
- Ann Arbor, Michigan has its own YouTube channel[27] featuring a David Letterman-style Top Ten list delivered by town VIPs such as Mayor John Hieftje and University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman. Ann Arbor also held a city-wide GoogleFest,[28] kicking off with a gathering of hundreds of participants dancing and chanting "Ann Arbor Google Fiber, ain't Nothing any finer."[29]
Trial near Stanford [edit]
In summer 2011, Google launched a free trial of its forthcoming fiber service in one residential community near Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.[30]
April Fools' hoaxes [edit]
On April Fools' Day 2012, Google Fiber announced that their product was an edible Google Fiber bar instead of fiber-optic Internet broadband.[31] It is stated that the Google Fiber bar delivers "what the body needs to sustain activity, energy, and productivity."[31]
On April Fools' Day 2013, Google Fiber announced the introduction of Google Fiber to the Pole.[32] The Description provided was "Google Fiber to the Pole provides ubiquitous gigabit connectivity to fiberhoods across Kansas City. This latest innovation in Google Fiber technology enables users to access Google Fiber's ultra fast gigabit speeds even when they are out and about." [32] Clicking on the "Learn More" and "Find a pole near you" buttons displayed a message reading "April Fool’s! While Fiber Poles don’t exist, we are working on a bunch of cool stuff that does. Keep posted on all things Fiber by checking out our blog."[32]
References [edit]
- ^ Helft, Miguel (2010-03-21). "Hoping for Gift From Google? Go Jump in the Lake". New York Times.
- ^ Malik, Om (February 11, 2010). "How Much Will Google’s Fiber Network Cost?". gigaOm.com.
- ^ "More than 1,100 communities seek Google network". Associated Press. 2010-03-27. Retrieved 2010-03-27.
- ^ "Ultra high-speed broadband is coming to Kansas City, Kansas". Google.com.
- ^ Google Gets Into the Cable TV Business, for Real, All Things Digital, July 26, 2012.
- ^ a b Google. "Plans & Pricing". Google. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
- ^ Google Fiber is coming to Olathe, Kansas
- ^ a b Farivar, Cyrus. "North Kansas City leases network to Google Fiber". Kansas City Business Journal. Retrieved 19 April 2013. "North Kansas City will lease its LINKCity fiber-optic data network to Google Fiber. The City Council approved a 20-year agreement Tuesday worth $3.2 million"
- ^ Vockrodt, Steve (May 07, 2013). "Google Fiber bails out North Kansas City's fiber-optic misfire". The Pitch. Retrieved 14 May 2013. "This doesn't mean we're delivering Google Fiber service to the city of North Kansas City," Google spokeswoman Jenna Wandres says. "It just means we're using their fiber as a pass-through to get to surrounding areas."
- ^ http://googlefiberblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/welcome-shawnee-kansas.html
- ^ Canon, Scott (3 May 2013). "Raytown latest city promised Google Fiber". Kansas City Star. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ^ http://googlefiberblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/grandview-mo-our-newest-fiber-community.html
- ^ http://googlefiberblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/another-local-expansion-into-gladstone.html
- ^ Google Fiber's next stop Austin Texas
- ^ "Google Fiber—On the Silicon Prairie, the Silicon Hills, and now the Silicon Slopes". "Today the Google Fiber team is in Provo, Utah, where Mayor John Curtis just announced that we intend to make Provo our third Google Fiber City."
- ^ "Asset Purchase Agreement". "THIS ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT... ...between Google Fiber Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser”), and Provo City Corporation, a Utah municipal corporation (“Seller”)."
- ^ "Network Services Agreement". "...terms and conditions upon which Google Fiber will provide high speed broadband Internet access services to the City and certain residents of Provo, free of charge."
- ^ "Google Fiber for Communities". Google.
- ^ Medin, Milo (2010-12-15). "An update on Google Fiber". Google.
- ^ Anderson, Nate (2010-12-15). "Google delays its 1Gbps fiber announcement". Arstechnica.
- ^ Google Fiber for Communities
- ^ a b c d e Van Buskirk, Eliot (March 11, 2010). "Al Franken Jokes, But Google Fiber Is No Laughing Matter". Wired Magazine.
- ^ HELFT, MIGUEL (March 26, 2010). "Cities Rush to Woo Google Broadband Before Friday Deadline". New York Times blog.
- ^ Silver, Curtis (March 10, 2010). "I, Google". Wired Magazine.
- ^ Murphy, David (March 7, 2010). "The 5 Strangest City Pitches for Google's New Fiber-Optic Service". PC Magazine.
- ^ Al Franken YouTube video
- ^ Ann Arbor YouTube channel
- ^ Ann Arbor GoogleFest
- ^ Reed, Tina (March 26, 2010). "Ann Arbor 'mob' makes another case to attract Google Fiber". AnnArbor.com.
- ^ "Google Fiber Goes Live Near Stanford". anandtech.com. August 22, 2011.
- ^ a b "Introducing the Google Fiber Bar". YouTube. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ a b c "Google Fiber to the Pole". Google.com. April 1, 2013.
External links [edit]
- Official website
- Google Fiber on Blogger
- Google Fiber on Google+
- GoogleFiber on Facebook
- Google Fiber on Twitter
- Google Fiber's channel on YouTube
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