Three years after Centennial voters approved a measure clearing the city to explore building its own broadband network, a Canadian company is asking, will you pre-order gigabit internet for $89 a month?
If enough people bite, Ting Internet will bring its fiber-optic network to residents of the city as early as next year. Continue reading
Google has announced that it will be bringing its gigabit Fiber internet service to residents of public housing in all cities where Google Fiber is offered at no extra cost. Working with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, along with local partners, Google will start the rollout in Kansas City, Missouri, its first Fiber city.
From Google Fiber:
Working side-by-side with the Housing Authority of Kansas City, we’re launching the program today at West Bluff, the first property to receive gigabit Internet as a part of this program. We’ve wired all 100 homes with Fiber, and families can sign up today to access the Internet at up to 1,000 Mbps. And through local ConnectHome partners, such as Connecting for Good and Surplus Exchange, they’ll also be able to purchase discounted devices and learn new computer skills.
While this initiative will come to Google’s other Fiber cities, the company is still working with groups in those other areas to identify which properties will need to take advantage of Fiber.
Source: Google Fiber
A view of Keeneland’s grandstand at dawn, taken from the last turn leading into the home stretch (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The city of Lexington, Ky., is famous for its beautiful horse farms and historic bourbon distilleries but not for its broadband. Internet service there could fairly be described as mediocre – the Internet metrics company Ookla recently measured the average download speed in Lexington at 16.2 Mbps, well below the U.S. average of 37.1 Mbps.
On the other hand, unlike some other cities that have launched FTTH initiatives, Lexington isn’t precisely underserved. There is no groundswell of community outrage about broadband. But Jim Gray, the city’s mayor, believes better broadband will give the city a better future, and he vowed to make Lexington a gigabit city. “Every city is in a competitive chase for talent and investment and jobs,” he explains. “This is essential just to stay competitive.” Continue reading
