Google Fiber is a project to build an experimental broadband internet network infrastructure using fiber-optic communication^[1] in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri, following a selection process.^[2] Over 1,100 communities applied to be the first recipient of the technology.^[3] Google announced on March 30, 2011 that Kansas City, Kansas will be the first community where the experimental network would be deployed.^[4] On May 17, 2011, Google announced that the service would be expanded to include the Kansas City, Missouri metro area. The service is expected to be functional in early 2012.

Cost[link]

It has been estimated that Google will need to pay $3,000 to $8,000 per home broadband connection, totaling anywhere from $60 million up to $1.6 billion USD.^[2] Google Fiber will be provided "at a competitive price" to the citizens of Kansas City.^[5]

Technical specifications[link]

Google Fiber will provide connections at around 1 gigabit per second, which is about 100 times faster access than most Americans have.^[4] Despite the advertising claims of internet service providers, the average download speed in the United States is only about 4 megabits per second.^[6]

Locations[link]

• 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 including the entirety of Kansas City. The network is expected to become available to residents in early 2012.

Selection process[link]

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.^[7][8][9]

The request form was simple,^[10] and, some have argued, too straightforward.^[11] This led to various attention-getting behaviors by those hoping to have their town selected.^[11] 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.^[12]
• One of the islands in Sarasota, Florida was temporarily renamed "Google Island".^[11]

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.^[11] A video for Sarasota was uploaded through Facebook’s video service.^[11] Duluth's mayor jokingly proclaimed that every first-born child will be named either Google Fiber or Googlette Fiber.^[13] The city of Rancho Cucamonga, California dubbed their city, "Rancho Googlemonga".^[14]
• Comedian and United States Senator Al Franken made a YouTube video to support Duluth, Minnesota's bid.^[15]
• Ann Arbor, Michigan has its own YouTube channel^[16] 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,^[17] kicking off with a gathering of hundreds of participants dancing and chanting "Ann Arbor Google Fiber, ain't Nothing any finer."^[18]

Trial near Stanford[link]

In summer 2011 Google launched free trial of its forthcoming fiber service in one residential community near Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.^[19]

Google Fiber hoax[link]

On April Fools' Day 2012, Google Fiber announced that their product is an edible Google Fiber bar instead of fiber-optic internet broadband.^[20] It is stated that the Google Fiber bar delivers "what the body needs to sustain activity, energy and productivity."^[20]

See also[link]

• Digital divide
• Internet access worldwide
• List of countries by number of broadband Internet users
• National broadband plans from around the world
• Communications in the United States
• Internet in the United States

External links[link]

• Google Fiber for Communities: Think big with a gig
• Official Google Blog
• List of government responses for Google Fiber
• FiberKC: A creative forum formed to support Google Fiber in Kansas City
• Kansas City IT Professionals: A grassroots technology community of 7500+ members supporting Kansas City Google Fiber

References[link]