By: Cody Weisel | Vizzda.com
April 25th, 2014 — Earlier this year Google Inc. announced Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe as potential locations for Google Fiber. The gigabit broadband service, which is some 100 times faster than current internet providers, has already broken ground in Austin, Kansas City and Provo, and could revolutionize existing broadband service for nearly 30% of Arizonans. So what exactly are the next steps for our Valley cities in obtaining this?
Google Inc. uses the Fiber
Ready Checklist to evaluate the feasibility of installing Google Fiber. The
three step list requires cities to provide the following: 1.) Provide information about existing
infrastructure, 2.) Help ensure access to existing infrastructure, and 3.) Make
construction speedy and predictable.
All three municipalities are currently working within the
first stage of the checklist process by submitting a slew of municipal data to
Google Inc. This data is to be submitted to Google Inc. by May 1st
and will be used later this year to create a model of each city’s
infrastructure. The complete layout of each city will then allow Google Inc. to
assess the feasibility of designing and constructing the Fiber networks. In
addition to these mammoth data submissions, each city is actively obtaining
legal counsel on how to negotiate the leasing of municipally-owned property to
Google Inc. for Network Huts (1,400 square-foot un-manned structures to house
network equipment and fiber).
It’s hard not to get excited about broadband speeds being up to 100 times faster than what’s currently offered, however it is important to note that the prospect of Google Fiber has not necessarily been secured by any of the municipalities. Residents of Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe should expect a lengthy evaluation process and an official announcement from Google Inc. later this year regarding those cities which will be receiving the new Fiber service.
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