Google isn’t done revolutionizing the internet. Far from it, in fact. Yesterday the search engine behemoth rolled out its latest development, one that looks to alter the world wide web as we know it. It’s called Google Fiber, a broadband internet infrastructure that utilizes fiber-optic communication. Translation? Anything internet-related has never been this fast.
In a pool of applicants comprising over 1,100 cities across the country, Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas were chosen as the two guinea pigs in Google’s latest foray. It seemed almost logical to pick the two as they line the eastern and western borders of Missouri, giving the Show Me State the first taste of an internet connection that runs at an astonishing 1 terabyte per second, about 100 times faster than any traditional American ISP.
It wouldn’t be unreasonable to think that such a speedy connection would run you a few bills. On the contrary. Google doesn’t roll that way. Google Fiber is available in three affordable packages: Free Internet, Gigabit Internet, and Gigabit + TV.
Free Internet gets you about broadband speeds of 5 megabits per second (Mbps), a WiFi network box with 4 ethernet ports, and the option of purchasing a Chromebook at a discounted price. You still have to pay an installation fee which will run you $300 (or $25/month) but once that’s taken care of, Google guarantees you at least seven years of free service.
Gigabit Internet goes for $70/month and Google kindly waives the $300 fee. Included is 1Gbps connectivity, 1TB of Google Drive, the network box, and the same deal on a Chromebook. One Kansas City, MO resident in a recent article by Ars Technica has “seen consistent Google Fiber speeds of 600 to 700 Mbps, with Wi-Fi topping out around 200 Mbps.” All of this is under a one year contract.
Gigabit + TV is truly innovative. For $120/month (waived installation fee) users get 1Gbps speeds, 1TB of Google Drive storage, the network box, the Chromebook deal, AND a TV box for a full channel lineup complete with a Nexus 7 tablet that doubles as a remote control. The TV box features a 2TB DVR which allows for up to 8 simultaneous recordings at once.
Installation is just as simple. The Fiber team has already strung fiber-optic cables throughout the Kansas Cities and they begin by simply pulling the cable to the side of your house. They then schedule an in-home installation at your behest and actually keep the appointment. No more of that “we’ll be there sometime between 9am and 5pm” from your traditional provider. Once installation is complete, they clean any mess they might have made and hold an informal Q&A session to make sure you know every detail.
Check out this video about installation details:
Related:
Google’s Data Centers
