Google 1Gbps Fibre Slated For Provo, Utah Arrival

Google has chosen Provo, Utah as its latest target community to be wired up to its high-speed boradband and cable television network.

The announcement comes just eight days after Google unveiled its plans to bring its network to Austin, Texas. The Provo project would be the third US community to get its Fibre service so far since introducing the project in 2010.

Gigabit Future

“Utah is already home to hundreds of tech companies and startups, and many of them are based in Provo,” wrote Kevin Lo, general manager of Google Fiber in an 17 April post about the latest project on the Google Fiber blog. “In fact, the Provo area ranks second in the nation in patent growth, and is consistently ranked as one of the top places to live and do business in the US. We believe the future of the Internet will be built on gigabit speeds, and we’re sure the businesses and residents of Provo already have some good ideas for what they’d build with a gig.”

So far, though, the proposed project isn’t yet finalised. Provo City Council will vote on the measure 23 April, wrote Lo.

In the meantime, Google has signed an agreement to purchase iProvo, an existing fiber-optic network owned by the city, which would be upgraded to gigabit technology and extended to additional Provo neighborhoods to connect more residents to the service, he wrote.

Provo Mayor Kevin Curtis lauded the proposed project on his own blog, saying that the agreement, “if ultimately approved by the City Council, means Provo will be one of the first cities in the world to have universal Internet connectivity in nearly every home.”

The proposed agreement with Google Fiber would help Provo solve existing problems with its iProvo services, and give the community “the technical know-how to operate a viable high-speed fiber-optic network for Provo residents,” wrote Curtis. “Under the agreement announced today, Google Fiber is committed to helping Provo realise the original vision. If the deal is approved, Google Fiber will offer free [5Mbps] Internet service at approximately the same speed you have now at home. The value of that one element alone cannot be overstated – nearly every one of Provo’s 115,000 residents could soon have free Internet access in their homes for at least seven years.”

Service would, however, be subject to a one-time $30 (£19.61) activation fee.

Acquisition And Upgrade

Google Fiber would also upgrade the existing iProvo network to Gigabit technology, which would provide Internet access at speeds up to 100 times faster than today’s average broadband speeds, according to Curtis.

“The company will also finish network construction along the existing network and provide free Gigabit Internet service to 25 local public institutions, including schools, hospitals and libraries.”

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Originally published on eWeek.