Search giant Google is offering a high-speed Internet service called Google Fiber. The service, with download speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second (that’s about 100 times faster than the national average), will be available in Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. The company has its eyes set on five new cities later this year: Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Jose and Portland, Oregon.
Google Fiber is riding on the coattails of President Obama’s recent call to promote broadband in cities that are unserved or underserved by large commercial providers. The company is posting Obama’s speech which includes this pullout quote: “This is about helping local businesses grow and prosper and compete in the global economy. It’s about giving the entrepreneur a chance to compete with the folks out in Silicon Valley or across the globe. It’s about helping a student access the online courses and employment opportunities that can help her pursue her dreams.” Google Fiber adds, “We’re for #BetterBroadband and couldn’t agree more.” Google Fiber costs $70 a month. If you want the Gigabit + TV, that costs $120/month.
