Reliable, affordable access can be a valuable resource too; that’s why Google Fiber is donating ten years of free high-speed Gigabit Internet (with speeds up to 100x faster than the average American connection) to 100 community organizations throughout Austin. Last night, the City Council selected which groups would get access to the service. The full list of selected “Community Connections” sites is available on the City Council’s website.
One important thing to note is that in order for a Community Connection to get Fiber, its surrounding area, or “fiberhood,” needs to qualify for service first. So when you sign up for Google Fiber next year, you’re also helping these local community organizations get one step closer to getting Fiber, too.
This whole process will take awhile — it will probably be over a year before we can even start making these Community Connections. But until then, we’re excited to get to know these organizations and hear about their plans for how they want to use their Fiber connection.
Posted by Gerardo Interiano, Head of Community Affairs, Austin
Getting Google Fiber will be a little different than what you might be used to. Google won’t choose which areas get Fiber — you and your neighbors will.
Over the next several months, we’ll start installing thousands of miles of fiber-optic cables to boxes called telecom cabinets throughout the entire city. One of these cabinets can serve you and a few hundred of your neighbors with Fiber — we call this grouping your “fiberhood.”
That’s where you come in. For us to bring Google Fiber to you, we need to know you want us! Each fiberhood will have a sign-up goal. Once you and your neighbors reach your goal, we’ll bring fiber the last mile (or so) from the cabinet to your homes within a few weeks.
This process will be transparent — you and your neighbors are in control. Next year, you’ll be able to go online and check a real-time map to see how close your fiberhood is to your goal, and see how other fiberhoods are doing. Plus, you’ll be able to see which local community organizations like libraries, schools and nonprofits (the City is selecting 100) will be getting Google Fiber service for free — as long as the fiberhood they’re in meets its goal.
One important thing you should know: you’ll only have a short window of time to sign up for service — probably a few weeks. This is because we focus our energy on a handful of fiberhoods at once, doing an all-out installation and construction blitz. We do this so we can provide you with better, faster service; we won’t make you wait around for a crew that’s stuck in traffic across town. After we’re done in one fiberhood, we’ll move on to the next. Please make sure you don’t miss your opportunity to sign up, because we don’t know when we’ll be able to come back!
Unfortunately, the missing detail that I don’t have yet is the date when you’ll be able to sign-up. We’ll let you know when we know — but in the meantime, I will try to write updates for you as I have them. Thanks for your patience, and know that we’re working hard to get Fiber to you as soon as we can!
Posted by Mark Strama, Head of Google Fiber, Austin
Good news. Starting today, folks who:
• live in Kansas City, Kan. or Central Kansas City, Mo., • live in one of the 180 fiberhoods that are qualified for Google Fiber, but • haven’t signed up for Fiber yet
will have a second chance to sign up for Google Fiber. Between now and December 22, you can go to our website, enter your address and choose one of our three Fiber packages.
If you sign up over the next month, we hope to have your service installed by Spring of 2014. Our installation crews are moving through Kansas City as quickly as they can — but we know that Spring seems like a long wait. So, if you sign up between November 20 and December 22 and choose our Gigabit + TV plan, you can you pick up your Nexus 7 tablet now (while supplies last), to help you pass the time. The tablet will eventually double as your Google Fiber remote, but we bet that you’ll be able to find some other useful things to do with it in the meantime. Once you’ve signed up for the Gig + TV plan, you can stop by the Google Fiber Space before Dec. 22 to pick up your new tablet.
We also have some news for those of you who are in areas that haven’t been able to get Fiber yet. In March, folks in Kansas City, North, South Kansas City, Mo, Gladstone, Grandview and Raytown will be able to start signing up for Google Fiber. Just like our first wave of sign-ups, we’ll divide these areas into small sections called “fiberhoods.” In each fiberhood, a certain number of homes will need to sign up for service in order to qualify their area for Google Fiber — so get ready to rally your neighbors! We’ll have more info to share (along with a map of the fiberhoods) in the beginning of 2014.
Questions? Join us next Tuesday, Nov. 26th from noon to 3 PM Central Time on Google+ or Facebook where we’ll be answering questions about signing up for Fiber. Or you can always just give us a call.
Posted by Rachel Hack, Kansas City Community Manager
We’re thankful to Kansas Citians for their feedback — we said that we plan to keep making our service better, and KC has helped us do that by sending along feature requests, helping us set the right fiberhood thresholds, making suggestions on how to improve our mobile app and more. They’ve also given us some insight into how a gig has impacted their lives so far. From uninterrupted video chats to smooth gaming to fast uploads, we’re hearing that Kansas Citians are able to do more of what they love online, using Fiber.
So what’s next? We know that folks in Kansas City North and South Kansas City, Mo. have been waiting for service, so we plan to open sign-ups and start installations soon. Look out for more info in February of next year.
Thanks, as always, to KC for letting Fiber be a part of your community!
As cold weather is starting to roll through Provo, so are our installation trucks. Over the past week, we began installing Fiber for our first residential customers who are transitioning from the local Veracity Networks service; we hope to finish this first wave of installations over the next six months. For those of you who want Fiber but don’t already have service with Veracity, we’ll open up residential sign-ups in January — enter your email and address on our website to get more info after the holidays!
Posted by Mike Kretschmer, Customer Solutions Specialist, Google Fiber
Launching the Fiber App for iPhone and iPod Touch Now even more people can use our app. Visit the Apple App Store to download it today!
Making it easier to find your shows Do you love and watch just a handful of channels? Now, you can use the channel history “shortcut” feature on your app to quickly reach all of your favorites. You’ll find your channel history in the navigation menu by tapping the icon in top left of the screen.
Making it easier to manage your DVR The Google Fiber Storage Box can hold up to 500 hours of HD content. That’s great for those of you who want to record your favorite shows...but once you have 1,000 sitcoms recorded, how do you sift through it all and find the one you want to watch? Now, the Fiber app allows you to manage your DVR and find, organize and mass-delete all of your content right from your tablet or phone. To see your existing recordings, open the navigation menu and tap DVR. To quickly setup new DVR recordings, tap the search icon and type (or speak) the show title.
Do you have ideas for more features you want to use on the app? We’d love to hear them! Send your “dream features” our way via the Google Fiber help forum.
Posted by Erik Kalviainen, Product Manager, Google Fiber Mobile App
Ivanhoe/ Boston Hts - Thursday, November 7 Country Club Plaza - Thursday, November 7 Hogan Prep Academy - Thursday, November 7 Wheatley Elementary - Thursday, November 7 Blue Hills North - Thursday, November 7 Forgotten Homes - Thursday, November 7 Rockhill Manor - Thursday, November 7 Vineyard Northwest - Thursday, November 7 Palestine/ Oak Park - Thursday, November 7 18th & Vine - Thursday, November 7 Marlborough East - Thursday, November 7 Ivanhoe Northeast - Thursday, November 7 Ivanhoe Southeast - Thursday, November 7 Blue Hills South - Thursday, November 7
Vineyard - Thursday, November 14 Vineyard Estates - Thursday, November 14 Noble/Gregory Ridge - Thursday, November 14 Palestine East - Thursday, November 14 Swope Park Campus - Thursday, November 14 Hanover Place East - Thursday, November 14 Marlborough Heights - Thursday, November 14 Oak Park Northwest - Thursday, November 14 Oak Park Southeast - Thursday, November 14 Scarritt Pt South - Thursday, November 14 Ivanhoe Southwest - Thursday, November 14 Battleflood Heights - Thursday, November 14 Walnut Grove - Thursday, November 14 Indian Mound East - Thursday, November 14 Lykins South - Thursday, November 14 South Indian Mound - Thursday, November 14 Lykins North - Thursday, November 14
Posted by Rachel Hack, Google Fiber Community Manager
Starting today Google Fiber TV customers can stream boredom away, with the WatchESPN and WATCH Disney apps.
WatchESPN provides live access to eight networks, including live events and all of ESPN’s sports and studio shows (including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPN Goal Line and ESPN Buzzer Beater). You can watch at no additional cost by logging in with your Google Fiber account — visit WatchESPN.com or download the WatchESPN app from Google Play or the App Store on your Xbox 360, or on Apple TV.
WATCH Disney gives you live access to Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD networks. Just go to WatchDisneyChannels.com and log in using your Google Fiber username and password.
If you want to learn more about this feature, you can also visit us at the Fiber Space for a live demo with our team.
Posted by Larry Yang, Google Fiber Product Manager
Why don’t you have an option for small businesses? From the beginning, Google Fiber was meant to help make the web faster for individuals and families. We’d noticed frustration from users about their home Internet speeds — nobody likes to put their lives on hold as videos buffer, photo albums upload or movies download. We chose to bring a Fiber to homes first, to help make the web there faster, and we’ll have a small business product in the future.
What kinds of locations are you connecting to Google Fiber right now? Right now, we’re only bringing Fiber to residential locations (units and homes where people live), plus the public and nonprofit sites selected by each Fiber city through our Community Connections program.
Can home-based businesses use Google Fiber? Yes. If you live in and work from your home (e.g. accountant, graphic designer, online tutor, talent agent for clowns), you can use Google Fiber. Just make sure you read through and comply with our terms of service.
What businesses need to wait for the Fiber small business product? If the primary use of the location where you want to install Google Fiber is commercial (e.g. nobody lives there), we won’t be able to bring you Fiber service yet. Hang in there for when we have a small business plan!
When will you have a small business service available? For now, we’re extremely focused on bringing Fiber to all of the residents who are already signed up and waiting for service. We will have more information about our small business product in the future. Stay tuned to this blog, or enter your address and email address on our website to get more information as soon as we have something to share.
Posted by Michael Slinger, Director of Business Operations, Google Fiber
Today your Internet and TV service are probably connected to your home via copper wires. This technology has been around for over 100 years, and it just wasn’t built for what we’re trying to use it for today. My job with Google Fiber is to build thousands of miles of brand new fiber-optic cable, which is far better and faster than copper at transmitting information, such as the bits that make up your favorite websites, YouTube videos, video chats, or online games. Fiber-optic cables are made of glass, and they use lasers to transmit information — close to the speed of light! It’s amazing technology, but unfortunately very few homes have direct access to fiber networks today.
That’s where my team comes in. Every day, we’re working to plan and build brand new Google Fiber networks in Kansas City and Austin. There are a few big steps.
Step 1: Figure out where we can put our fiber. We need to build thousands of miles of fiber — but we can’t just put it wherever we want. First, we use the infrastructure data that the city has shared with us to create a base map of where we can build (existing utility poles, conduit) and where we should avoid (water, sewer and electric lines). Then, a team of surveyors and engineers hits the streets to fill in any missing details.
Step 2: Design the network. There are a few basic components to our Fiber networks that we need to design from scratch for every single city. In general, you can think of it as a hub-and-spoke design:
Every mile of this network has to be planned and diagramed, which takes a huge amount of time (imagine planning a network that touches ~30 utility poles per mile, for thousands of miles). We also plan and build backup fiber routes; we want to be ready just in case there's a break in service along any section of our network (it just so happens that squirrels love to chew through fiber lines).
Step 3: Build the network. Only once we have a solid plan — including diagrams of every utility pole our fiber will travel on, detailed maps of where we’ll need to dig up streets to install new conduit, and the specs for every single hut and cabinet — can we get boots on the ground to start building our network. That’s when you’ll start to see crews out in the streets with their boom trucks, boring machines, and rolls of conduit and cables.
In other words, this is a huge undertaking, and we know you might get a bit impatient with us from time to time. We know you want your Google Fiber — please know that we’ve got our teams hard at work to get you connected just as soon as we can.
Posted by John Toccalino, Manager of Outside Plant Engineering, Google Fiber
When most Americans connect to the Internet from their homes, their signal travels along a local telecommunications infrastructure, currently built mostly of copper cables that run along utility poles or underground. Now that technology has advanced, communities are starting to upgrade to fiber-optic cable that’s better suited to 21st century communications demands, like high-speed Internet. And that involves a lot of detailed planning — utility pole by utility pole and block by block.
That’s what Google Fiber teams are working on right now in the Kansas City area, Austin, and Provo. We’re going to tell you more about the actual construction process in a future blog post, but here we want to focus on how we work closely with city leaders before anyone picks up a shovel or climbs a ladder.
The existing telecommunications infrastructure was installed bit by bit throughout the 20th century — so it’s likely that cities have never experienced the kind of scale and pace of building an entire telecommunications infrastructure all at once. That’s why our first step is to sit down with them to discuss how we can work together quickly and efficiently on such an unusually large project. Some people have suggested that these conversations between Google Fiber and city leaders involve requests for special incentives, exclusive privileges or tax breaks — and that’s simply not true. Instead, like anyone looking to deploy a new network, our conversations cover some pretty mundane stuff, usually across 3 main topics:
Access to infrastructure - In order to build a network, we need to string fiber along utility poles or install it underground through protective tubes called conduit. It’s not feasible for each and every provider to build their own poles and conduit — after all, there’s only so much space on city streets, and it'd be an ugly waste of resources to force everyone to put up brand new poles alongside existing ones and dig up city streets unnecessarily. So it's essential that cities ensure that new providers can use existing poles and conduit. We work with the city and, where applicable, the local electric utility and telephone company to figure out which poles and conduit we can use for Google Fiber, then we agree on a fair market price we can pay to lease that space.
Access to local infrastructure maps - Once we get permission to lease space on existing poles and in available conduit, we need to know where all of that infrastructure is physically located, so that we can plan where our fiber lines will go. It is critical that the city provide accurate maps about poles and conduit, plus info about existing water, gas, and electricity lines, so that we can know where we can safely build our fiber network.
Expedited construction permits - Google Fiber cities need to be ready for the large volume of permits (thousands!) that we’ll be submitting to them. We comply with each city’s permitting code, and we work closely with cities to figure out a way to expedite the permitting process to make sure that they’re comfortable and ready for the planned pace.
Our work with the city doesn’t end here. We stay in touch with city leaders and work closely with them throughout the entire construction and installation process to make it as quick and painless for residents as possible — a topic which we’ll cover in our next “Fiber Behind the Scenes” blog post.
Posted by Derek Slater, Government Relations Manager
This sign-up process is different (and faster) in Provo than in Kansas City and Austin because our construction process is different. In KC and Austin, we need to install thousands of miles of brand new fiber-optic cables, which requires many months of planning, engineering and construction before we can open sign-ups and bring service to customers. Here in Provo, we purchased the iProvo network from the City of Provo, so a lot of this network already exists — we just needed to upgrade it to make it faster.
Veracity customers get the first crack at signing up for Fiber service — they’re already hooked up to our newly-upgraded fiber because they’ve been connected to the former iProvo network, so it will be efficient and quick to install Google Fiber for any of them who want to switch providers. This “first chance” opportunity is only for Veracity residential customers right now; other Provo residents and local small businesses can go to our website and sign-up to be notified when Fiber is coming to their area.
If you’re a Veracity residential customer, this means you’re eligible for Google Fiber service, including an Internet connection that’s up to 100 times faster than basic broadband. All you have to do is go to google.com/fiber/provo, enter your address, and select which Google Fiber package (Gigabit Internet, Gigabit + TV, or Free Internet) you want. In order to get this early access to Google Fiber, make sure you sign up before October 31.
This process is slightly different for those of you who live in apartment buildings or condos (what we call “Multi-Dwelling Units,” or MDUs). Since we need to bring Fiber to the entire building, the process takes a little longer. We are starting the conversations with landlords and property owners across the city. If you live in a building with 9 or more units, get in touch with your landlord and (1) tell them that you want Google Fiber, and (2) ask them to fill out this form. A member of our local Provo Fiber team will contact your landlord to discuss next steps on how to bring gigabit speed to your unit.
Have questions? Confused about what this means for you? Just give us a call, email us or do an online chat with our customer service team. We’re here and ready to help, 24/7.
Posted by Michael Slinger, Director of Fiber Business Operations
What would you do with a gigabit? That's the question that US Ignite has been working to answer since we launched — and we want you to help us come up with some answers. This November, our team will travel to Kansas City to work with local and national developers to build and test gigabit applications that are built for high speed networks like the Google Fiber.
Do you want to build an application that:
• Is incredibly and realistically responsive, with no latency or delay? • Allows you to touch, move, and control things with your hands, your eyes or your body language? • Enables real-time collaboration in a natural way? • Provides immediate results from massive computational efforts with big data? • Is not limited by bandwidth?
If so, we want you to join us in Kansas City on Friday, November 1 - Sunday, November 3 for our Gigabit Explorer Challenge. We’re accepting applications starting this week — just submit your ideas on our website to join the contest. Not only will you get to develop using Google Fiber, but you’ll also have access to technology advisors and onsite computing and storage resources. You just need to have a great idea and be willing to put in the time to develop it.
For more information about US Ignite and its mission, please visit our website or watch this 3-minute video summarizing our recent Applications Summit, where some gigabit applications were already demonstrated. Hope to see you at the Fiber Space!
Posted by Joe Kochan, COO, US Ignite
View Kansas City Areas Eligible for Google Fiber in a larger map
We're excited to bring service to Lenexa, but we still need to plan and start building our network there before we can open sign-ups or share any information about customer installation. In the meantime, you can keep up with our progress right here on our blog, and you can sign up for email updates by entering your address on our website.
Posted by Rachel Hack, Community Manager, Google Fiber
These “Community Connections” sites have already been selected in Kansas City (Kan. and Mo.), where hundreds of nonprofits, schools and government buildings will get a free Gigabit Internet connection for a maximum of ten years. And, starting this week, interested sites in Austin and Provo can apply to receive a Community Connection — both local governments are currently taking applications and will ultimately choose who gets connected.
If you’re an Austin nonprofit or public organization, the Austin city government is accepting applications for potential local Community Connections now through September 30 (apply in the “Digital Inclusion” section of the AustinTexas.gov website). If you’re a Provo nonprofit or public organization, you can learn more about your local Community Connections program in the “Current News” section of Provo's website. Today is the first day to submit applications and the deadline is October 10.
For more information about Community Connections — including technical info and FAQs about the gig hookup for site representatives — you can visit our brand new Community Connections website.
Posted by Dov Zimring, Product Manager, Google Fiber
Wyandotte Center - Thursday, October 3 Royal Gardens - Thursday, October 3 West Height - Thursday, October 3 Turner Diagonal - Thursday, October 3 Sumner - Thursday, October 3 Watchtower - Thursday, October 3 Coronado - Thursday, October 3 Banneker - Thursday, October 3 Frances Willard - Thursday, October 3 Eugene Ware - Thursday, October 3
N 55th - Thursday, October 10 Edison School - Thursday, October 10 Beacon Hills - Thursday, October 10 Emerson - Thursday, October 10 Linden Hills - Thursday, October 10 West Side North - Thursday, October 10 North Town Fork Crk - Thursday, October 10 Southmoreland North - Thursday, October 10 Westport - Thursday, October 10 West Side South - Thursday, October 10
Willow Creek North - Thursday, October 17 City Park - Thursday, October 17 Prescott Park - Thursday, October 17 Woodland - Thursday, October 17 Mt Hope - Thursday, October 17 Caruthers - Thursday, October 17 Kensington - Thursday, October 17 Klamm Park - Thursday, October 17 Santa Fe - Thursday, October 17 County 5 - Thursday, October 17 Center City - Thursday, October 17 Wendell Phillips - Thursday, October 17
Mount Cleveland - Thursday, October 24 Tri-Blenheim - Thursday, October 24 Citadel - Thursday, October 24 Key Coalition North - Thursday, October 24 Indian Mound West - Thursday, October 24 Budd Park - Thursday, October 24 South Town Fork Crk - Thursday, October 24 Splitlog Park - Thursday, October 24 Memorial Park - Thursday, October 24 Key Coalition South - Thursday, October 24 Lincoln Prep - Thursday, October 24 Parkview - Thursday, October 24
First — and many might argue, most importantly — we’re working to upgrade the existing fiber network in Provo to be Gigabit-ready. Secondly, we’re spending a lot of time talking with property managers and owners of large apartment building and condominiums. Planning for and installing Google Fiber in these big buildings takes a lot of time, so if you manage a building with 5 or more units, we’d love to start chatting with you now — please get in touch with us!
We also have new information for you on how much Google Fiber will cost in Provo. When we start sign-ups, all customers will be able to choose from one of three plans:
Free Internet. Get today’s basic broadband speeds (up to 5 Mbps download, 1 Mbps upload) for free for at least the next seven years. Gigabit Internet. Connect to the web at speeds up to 100 times faster than basic broadband (up to 1 Gbps download and upload) for $70/month. Gigabit Internet + TV. Get 100 times faster Internet plus hundreds of HD channels. Record up to 8 shows at once and store up to 500 hours of HD content on your Storage Box for $120/month.
Each of these plans will require a one-time $30 construction fee which you’ll pay when you choose your plan (for single family homes) or your landlord will pay after they sign an agreement with us to wire up your apartment/condo.
For current Veracity customers in single-family homes — we want you to know that nothing changes for you yet. You can continue to use your service as you do today. Later this year, you’ll have the option of becoming a Google Fiber customer and the option to sign up for any of the services listed above.
To stay up to date on any new developments, you can sign up for our Provo email list on our website.
Thanks for all of the interest; we’ll talk more in the fall!
Yesterday, we launched VUDU right on our Fiber TV Box. VUDU is an on-demand video service that subscribers can use to rent or purchase movies and TV shows — and combined with Netflix and our Google Fiber Video on Demand Library, Google Fiber customers now have access to one of the largest on-demand collections of movies and TV Shows. You can access all of this great content under the “More tab on our TV menu.
We’re also updating the Google Fiber mobile app to support VUDU — now it will be easier than ever to search for, discover and watch thousands of movies and shows on your Android or iPhone.
Posted by Sarthak Ray, Google Fiber Product Manager
We’re proud to be one of many local supporters of this first-of-its-kind grant program in Kansas City. As we’ve worked throughout the community, we’ve heard some incredible ideas from nonprofits and leaders who want to do amazing things to increase digital literacy in KC. We’ve also heard from them that they need more resources (funding, computers, staffers, etc.) to execute and scale their work.
Now, these community groups can apply for grants to fund their work to help Kansas Citians get online; get access to more affordable computers; learn how to apply for jobs; teach kids how to do research on the web; teach classes on how to compare health care options online and much more. We know Kansas City nonprofits have what it takes to make a big impact, and we can’t wait to see what projects they come up with.
If you’re a local nonprofit, you can apply now, or attend one of the upcoming informational sessions (listed below). Grant applications are due before 5 p.m. CST on September 27, and recipients will be announced in early November.
Wednesday, August 28, from 1 to 2 p.m. at Kansas City Public Library - Plaza Branch, RSVP here Thursday, September 12, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Community Foundation’s downtown office, RSVP here
Today, we’re announcing new deadlines for twenty-eight more fiberhoods. If you live in one of the fiberhoods listed below, visit our website ASAP to choose your Fiber plan. If you’re not sure which plan is right for you, drop by the Fiber Space or check out our Mobile Google Fiber Space out and about in KC.
Maple Hill - Thursday, September 5 Highland Park - Thursday, September 5 West Waldo - Thursday, September 5 Western Hills - Thursday, September 5 West Plaza South - Thursday, September 5 Scarritt Pt North - Thursday, September 5
Boone Hills - Thursday, September 12 Santa Fe Hills - Thursday, September 12 Eastern 49-63 - Thursday, September 12 Leeds/ Dunbar - Thursday, September 12 Plaza Westport - Thursday, September 12 Lea Manor - Thursday, September 12
Cambridge Circle - Thursday, September 19 Shawnee DR - Thursday, September 19 Strawberry Hill - Thursday, September 19 Noble Prentis - Thursday, September 19 William White - Thursday, September 19 Riverview Park - Thursday, September 19 Wyandotte High Sch - Thursday, September 19 Welborn Park - Thursday, September 19 Quindaro - Thursday, September 19
Parkwood Park - Thursday, September 26 Downtown - Thursday, September 26 Rosedale Arch - Thursday, September 26 Pearson School - Thursday, September 26 Armourdale - Thursday, September 26 Pendleton Heights - Thursday, September 26 Southmoreland - Thursday, September 26
The Sports Plus package options and pricing will vary slightly depending on which Fiber city you live in. Regardless, we’ll have you covered, whether you fancy fishing, fighting, football, fútbol, fastballs or almost anything in between.
For our Kansas City customers, that means you can get:
NFL RedZone MLB Network Strike Zone Longhorn Network TVG Pac-12 Networks (7 channels) GolTV (English Only) Fight Now TV Outside TV One World Sports World Fishing Network HRTV Universal Sports Network
You can sign up for the Sports Plus package starting now. If you already have Fiber service installed in your home, you can call customer service 24/7 at 877-777-7550 to have the package added. Folks who don’t have Fiber yet can sign up for the package on our website.
Posted by Indranil Chakraborty, Product Manager, Google Fiber
If you haven’t already, visit our website and choose your Fiber plan. If you’re not sure which plan is right for you and want to talk to a team member, drop by the Fiber Space or check our calendar on the website to see when we’re in your area with our brand new Mobile Fiber Space.
Hanover Place West - Thursday, August 15 Ward Parkway North - Thursday, August 15 Volker South - Thursday, August 15 South Hyde Park - Thursday, August 15 Ward Parkway Plaza - Thursday, August 15 Union Hill - Thursday, August 15
Columbus Park - Thursday, August 22 Business District - Thursday, August 22 Rolling Meadows - Thursday, August 22 Ward Parkway South - Thursday, August 22 Manheim Park - Thursday, August 22 Hospital Hill - Thursday, August 22 Volker North - Thursday, August 22
West Plaza North - Thursday, August 29 Western 49-63 North - Thursday, August 29 Tower Homes South - Thursday, August 29 Southmoreland South - Thursday, August 29 North Hyde Park - Thursday, August 29 Waldo Homes - Thursday, August 29 Squier Park - Thursday, August 29
This morning, 50 Kansas City middle and high school students met the First Lady of the United States — via a Google Fiber connection at the Fiber Space. All week, Mrs. Obama has been traveling on a White House Tour through Africa, talking to and hearing from young people about the importance of education. Today, she heard from students right here in KC.
At 8:30 a.m. Central Time, the First Lady hosted a Google+ Hangout On Air from Johannesburg, South Africa connecting to students in L.A., Houston, New York, and Kansas City. The students and Mrs. Obama got the chance to talk with one another directly, sharing ideas about education in their countries face-to-face-to-face; a bit like a 21st-Century pen pal program.
The group of KC students that "met" the First Lady are spending their summer breaks building motors, programming robots and developing web and mobile apps; they’re students who are attending several KC STEM Alliance camps to learn about science, technology, engineering and math.
You can see the whole video from the event here. Many thanks to the KC STEM Alliance, the Office of the First Lady and all of our STEM campers for letting us be a part of this transatlantic discussion.
We’re not sure when we’ll be able to bring Fiber to Mission (we have a lot of work to do before that can happen), but we’ll be sure to post any updates right here.
As soon as we have more information about when Fiber will come to Lee's Summit residents, we’ll share it on this blog.
If you live in any of these fiberhoods, be sure to choose your Fiber plan soon so we don’t miss you during construction. If you’re not sure which plan is right for you and want to talk to a person, drop by the Fiber Space or give us a call—we’re always happy to help!
Kansas deadlines Miland Pump Station - Thursday, July 25 Silver City - Thursday, July 25 Stony Point North - Thursday, July 25 Junction School - Thursday, July 25 Schlagle High School - Thursday, July 25
Missouri deadlines Ilus W. Davis Park - Thursday, July 25 Valentine - Thursday, July 25 Stratford Gardens - Thursday, July 25 Holmes Park - Thursday, July 25 River Market - Thursday, July 25 Oak Meyer Gardens - Thursday, July 25
Thirteen-year-old Kansas City-area resident Nick LeGrande has been a baseball fan since he can remember. He loves to watch baseball, talk about baseball, and of course, play baseball. But last year, Nick was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia, a rare blood disease that has kept him off the field indefinitely.
When the Oakland A’s, a Major League Baseball team, heard about Nick’s situation earlier this year, they asked him to throw out the first pitch at tonight’s game. Because of his illness, Nick can’t hop on a plane for the 1,800 mile journey from Missouri to the A’s stadium in California. But luckily, there’s another way for Nick to throw out tonight’s ceremonial pitch — using the Internet.
When we think of the power of the Internet and the importance of broadband connectivity to our communities, it’s easy to just think of sending email or watching videos. But high-bandwidth applications on the web have made a host of other amazing things possible — for example, the field of telerobotics, or the ability to control robots over long distances using the web. That’s how tonight, using a specially-designed, web-connected pitching robot, Nick LeGrande will throw the first-ever telerobotic pitch in MLB history.
At 8:53 PM Central time, Nick will join us at the Google Fiber Space in Kansas City, which we’ve transformed into a mini baseball stadium (real grass, dirt and bleachers) for the occasion. Using an Android app, Nick will be able to control the movements of a robot that will sit on the pitcher’s mound in Oakland. That robot will be equipped with a camera, which will livestream a first-hand view of what the stadium looks like to Nick. Then, joined by his family, friends, teammates and doctors from Children’s Mercy Hospital, Nick will toss out the game’s first pitch — in Kansas City, and in Oakland.
We're honored to share this moment with Nick, and you can too — visit our website to get a play-by-play of tonight's pitch and send him well-wishes via social media. He'll see your messages on the big screen at the Fiber Space as he throws out the first pitch. You can also visit Children's Mercy Hospital's website to learn more about Nick and severe aplastic anemia.
This story is part of a series called “Why Speed Matters,” which showcases examples of what’s possible with fast Internet -- and why it matters.
First up is the premiere screening of HBO’s True Blood on Thursday, June 13 at 7:00PM. The episode won’t air on HBO until Sunday, June 16, so you’ll have a sneak peek of season six before all your friends. We expect this episode to be a nail-biter, so we’ve prepared some drink concoctions and munchies that you can sink your teeth into. Blood orange spritzer, anyone? RSVP now (seats are limited), and get there early to snag a swag bag.
Our second premiere event next week focuses less on the supernatural and more on the natural. On Saturday, June 15 at 4:30PM, we’re screening the finale of Discovery’s North America series. In the finale, you’ll get an early look at North America: Top 10 — the show will feature the top 10 natural landmarks of the continent, as chosen by 35,000 online votes. RSVP now to save your seat. We'll have s’mores and some other snacks that remind you of being in nature, plus some photo opportunities with some of our favorite characters from the series.
True Blood Season Six Premiere Thursday, June 13 at 7:00PM Google Fiber Space, 1814 Westport Road, Kansas City, MO RSVP Now, Space is Limited
North America Series Finale Premiere Saturday, June 15 at 4:30PM Google Fiber Space, 1814 Westport Road, Kansas City, MO RSVP Now, Space is Limited
Posted by Annie Thompson, Kansas City Fiber Space Events Manager
Tower Homes North - Thursday, June 27 Central Hyde Park - Thursday, June 27 Coleman Highlands - Thursday, June 27 Brookside - Thursday, June 27 Country Club Dist - Thursday, June 27 Armour Hills - Thursday, June 27 Westwood - Thursday, July 11 Romanelli West - Thursday, July 11 South Plaza East - Thursday, July 11 Armour Fields - Thursday, July 11 Roanoke - Thursday, July 11 Ward Estates - Thursday, July 11 Western 49-63 South - Thursday, July 11
There are also a few deadlines coming up in Kansas over the next few weeks—you can see the full list here. Nervous you’ll miss your deadline? Follow us on Google+, Facebook or Twitter where we post about upcoming deadlines and other cool stuff, too.
It will be awhile before we can hook up Raytown residents—we need to plan and build our network there first. When we have more info, we’ll be sure to post it here.
As we’ve said before, it takes awhile to plan, engineer, and start building our network in new communities, so it will still be some time before we can hook up our Gladstone customers. We’ll publish more info here as we have it.
It will still be awhile before we can build Fiber in Grandview—we need to plan and engineer our network there first. We’ll be sure to post more information here as soon as we can!
Shawnee, which is right outside of Kansas City, is known as a tight-knit community and a great place to do business. We’ve also been impressed by Shawnee’s vision to keep their citizens informed and involved using the Internet. Recently, the City modernized their website, so that locals can easily access city info—from crime maps to fiscal reports to streamed audio of city council meetings.
This is a great example of how access to information via the web can help make communities stronger. Google Fiber—and widespread connectivity throughout Shawnee—will be a great complement to the great work the City is already doing.
We still have a lot of planning and engineering work to do before we’re ready to bring Fiber to Shawnee, so we don’t have an estimate for when service will be available yet. We’ll be sure to publish an update here as soon as we have it.
Este jueves, Google llegará a Kansas City con su programa Get Your Business Online para ayudar a las empresas pequeñas. Muchos piensan que tener una presencia en línea es muy complicado y costoso. El programa Get Your Business Online hace que sea rápido, fácil y gratis para que cualquier negocio lance su presencia en el Internet, desde ferreterías a escuelas de música.
En el evento, el equipo de Google ayudará a los empresarios locales a crear sus propios sitios web cortesía de Intuit. Los empresarios también recibirán un nombre de dominio personalizado, alojamiento en el Internet gratuito durante un año, un perfil de ubicación en Google Maps, herramientas, entrenamientos, y recursos gratuitos. Expertos de Google estarán disponibles para capacitar a los empresarios en Inglés y en Español sobre las mejores maneras de atraer a más clientes en línea.
Visite www.KansasGetOnline.com para más detalles sobre el evento y el programa. Si usted no puede asistir al evento, todavía puede obtener su propio sitio web y recursos gratuitos. Visite a la página web para obtener más información.
Posted by Carlos Casas, Kansas City Team Manager, Google Fiber
This Thursday morning, please join us at Google’s “Get Your Business Online” event, where you’ll be able to set up a free website and a personalized domain name for your small businesses in under an hour. Register on the GYBO website now.
At the event, Intuit will provide local businesses with a free website, and a team of Google experts will help participants build and design their sites. Businesses will also receive a customized domain name, free web hosting for one year, a local business listing on Google Maps and free tools, training and resources. Google experts will be on hand to train the business owners on how to reach more customers online in both English and Spanish.
Go to www.KansasGetOnline.com for details on the event and the program and to register (Missouri businesses welcome, too!). And if you're unable to attend, you can still get a free website. Whether you’re a mechanic, own a mail and copy shop, or have a hair salon, we hope you can attend!
For the past month, our Fiber TV customers have been able to control their TVs with any recent Android device. Using the Fiber TV app from the Google Play Store, they can search for programming, browse listings, and select shows or recordings with just the touch or swipe of a finger. Now, iPad users can enjoy this simple, intuitive experience, too.
Head over to the Google Play store or the Apple App Store to download the free app now!
Posted by Tim Jennison, Software Engineer, Google Fiber
Utah is already home to hundreds of tech companies and startups, and many of them are based in Provo. 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 U.S. 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.
In order to bring Fiber to Provo, we’ve signed an agreement to purchase iProvo, an existing fiber-optic network owned by the city. As a part of the acquisition, we would commit to upgrade the network to gigabit technology and finish network construction so that every home along the existing iProvo network would have the opportunity to connect to Google Fiber. Our agreement with Provo isn’t approved yet—it’s pending a vote by the City Council scheduled for next Tuesday, April 23. We intend to begin the network upgrades as soon as the closing conditions are satisfied and the deal is closed.
Provo started building their own municipal network in 2004 because they decided that providing access to high speed connectivity was important to their community’s future. In 2011, they started looking for a partner that could acquire their network and deliver an affordable service for Provoans. We’re committed to keeping their vision alive, and, if the deal is approved and the acquisition closes, we’d offer our Free Internet service (5 Mbps speeds) to every home along the existing Provo network, for a $30 activation fee and no monthly charge for at least seven years. We would also offer Google Fiber Gigabit Internet—up to 100x faster Internet than today’s average broadband speeds—and the option for Google Fiber TV service with hundreds of your favorite channels. We’d also provide free Gigabit Internet service to 25 local public institutions like schools, hospitals and libraries.
Over the next few days, we’ll be in and around Provo with Mayor Curtis, attending community meetings and talking to residents about what widespread gigabit connectivity could mean for their community, and the ways in which we’d invest in their iProvo network. If you are a Provoan, we hope to see you there! In the meantime, you can sign up on our website to get updates and more information.
Posted by Kevin Lo, General Manager, Google Fiber
And, for those of you who are holding out for Cinemax, today is your lucky day, too — you can add our brand new Cinemax package for $10/month (plus tax), and get eight new channels, including Max, MoreMax, ActionMax, ThrillerMax, WMax, @Max, 5-StarMax, and OuterMax.
If you really love TV and want both of these add-ons, we’ve just launched our new premium package, which you may want to consider. With the premium package, you can get STARZ, Showtime, HBO and Cinemax, all for $40/month (plus tax).
You can sign up for these packages starting now. If you already have Fiber service installed in your home, you can call customer service 24/7 at 866-777-7550 to have any of these packages added. Folks that haven’t been connected to service yet can sign up for these packages on our website or if you have any questions, you can always contact us.
Posted by Larry Yang, Head of Product Management
That’s why we’re announcing the deadlines for eighteen new Fiberhoods today. If you live in any of these fiberhoods, be sure to choose your Fiber plan soon, so that we can come connect you to Google FIber. If you’re not sure which fiberhood you belong to, just type in your address on our website, and your fiberhood info will pop up . As always, if you have any questions let us know!
Kansas Deadlines Plaza at Speedway - Thursday, May 30 Stony Point - Thursday, May 30 Melrose - Thursday, May 30 Rainbow Ridge - Thursday, May 30 Pomeroy - Thursday, June 6 Southwest Boulevard - Thursday, June 6 Tauromee Ave - Thursday, June 6 Frank Rushton - Thursday, June 6 Washington High School - Thursday, June 6 Central Middle School - Thursday, June 6 North KU Med - Thursday, June 6 Bethel - Thursday, June 13 Community College - Thursday, June 13 Alvey Park - Thursday, June 20 Grinter - Thursday, June 20 White Church - Thursday, June 20 Eisenhower Park - Thursday, June 20 Grant - Thursday, June 20
Missouri Deadlines Countryside - Thursday, April 18 Greenway Fields - Thursday, April 18 Wornall Homestead - Thursday, May 23 Crossroads - Thursday, May 23
Today, we’re pleased to announce with Mayor Lee Leffingwell that Austin, Texas is becoming a Google Fiber city. It’s a mecca for creativity and entrepreneurialism, with thriving artistic and tech communities, as well as the University of Texas and its new medical research hospital. We’re sure these folks will do amazing things with gigabit access, and we feel very privileged to have been welcomed to their community.
Our goal is to start connecting homes in Austin by mid-2014. Customers there will have a similar choice of products as our customers in Kansas City: Gigabit Internet or Gigabit Internet plus our Google Fiber TV service with nearly 200 HD TV channels. We’re still working out pricing details, but we expect them to be roughly similar to Kansas City. Also, as in Kansas City, we’re going to offer customers a free Internet connection at 5 mbps for 7 years, provided they pay a one-time construction fee. We’re also planning to connect many public institutions as we build in Austin— schools, hospitals, community centers, etc. — at a gigabit for no charge. If you live in Austin and want to sign up for more information, please visit our website.
The Internet is still in its early days and has so much more potential to improve our lives. The web helps students and families access essential resources, from information about jobs and healthcare to banking and educational services. Communities that are connected to the Internet grow stronger because there’s greater potential to create jobs, drive economic growth, and help businesses succeed. We believe the Internet’s next chapter will be built on gigabit speeds, and we hope this new Google Fiber city will inspire communities across America to think about what ultrafast connectivity could mean for them. If you’re a city leader and you’re looking for some help making your city gigabit-friendly, have a look at this video from the FCC’s March 2013 Workshop on Gigabit Community Broadband Networks for steps you can take towards your own gigabit-powered future.
Posted by Milo Medin, Vice President, Google Fiber
We’ve heard this feedback a few times from our customers in Kansas City; it seems that some folks have become hesitant to leave their home connections. They want to be able to have access to Fiber even when they’re out and and about in KC, not just within the confines of their own home.
So my team of engineers started thinking about possible solutions. How do you get a Gigabit everywhere in the community? We realized that the answer was all around us — utility poles. Poles already have our Fiber strung to them; all we had to do was come up with a way to make that Fiber accessible. That’s what we’ve done today. I’m happy to announce our newest project: Google Fiber Poles.
For more information, and to locate a pole near you, visit google.com/fiber/poles
Posted by Michael Plump, Product Lead, Fiber-to-the-pole
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