Many people might not know this but Google once introduced its fiber-optic broadband internet service called, Google Fiber in 2010. It is built to deliver users with high-speed connectivity to both individuals and businesses. At first, it seemed that the company would make this service available across the United States but then the expansion was paused. In the last five years, only one city (Des Moines) was added to the list that would receive this service. However, Google likes to surprise people from time to time. So, it is a good chance that the company might just make the service available for all sooner than you think. But until that happens, let’s shed light on some important points that you need to know about Google Fiber.
#1. What Does Google Fiber Offer?
What is that one thing that makes the browsing experience better? It’s simple, Speed! Google recognized this and delivered Google Fiber; a service that can give you a download speed of 1,000 Mbps as compared to other ISPs that usually offer 25 Mbps. However, Google Fiber is a shared network. This means that if they’re a lot of users online at one time then you might experience some slowdowns.
The price of the service will vary by region. But you can expect its cost to be about $50 per month for 100 Mbps and $70 per month for 1,000 Mbps. That’s not all as Google Fiber also allows users to opt for the TV service which would $90/month to the basic plan. Please note that these prices are tentative. The good thing about this service is that there are no monthly data caps. This means that you can use as much data as you want. It is an attractive feature that is also offered by Charter Spectrum. You won’t find your data capped regardless of which Spectrum mobile plans you choose.
#2. Where Is Google Fiber Available?
Google Fiber is currently available in 18 cities including, Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Charlotte, Colorado, and Seattle. However, there are also some cities like Kentucky, Louisville, and Boston from where Google pulled this service out. Once the company decided to discontinue its service in Louisville, the city ordered Google to pay $4 million to recover the damages that resulted from the failed attempt to deploy the service. If you belong to one of the cities where Google is providing its service, it is advised to check if your address is eligible. This is because no city has complete coverage of Google Fiber. You can get additional information from their website.
#3. What Google Fiber Offers Apart from High-Speed Internet?
Apart from a faster internet connection, you can opt for a Fiber Phone and Fiber TV. If you select the former then you will be charged $10 for it. It will allow you to make unlimited calls nationwide. You will get a useful feature of spam-filtering. Whereas, if you would like to go for TV then choosing it will give 150+ channels along with Google cast.
#4. Where Will Google Fiber Land Next?
A few cities have been confirmed where Google will be launching Google Fiber next. Those cities are as follows
- Irvine, California
- Huntsville, Alabama
- San Francisco, California
- San Antonio, Texas
Considering the company is planning to make this service available for the majority of the United States, there are some speculations that the following cities will also receive access to Google Fiber
- Dallas, Texas
- Chicago, Illinois
- Los Angeles, California
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Portland, Oregon
Conclusion
Although Google paused the expansion of Google Fiber, there’s a strong belief that this service will be deployed across the U.S. sooner or later. Also, it was reported by Business Insider that Google Fiber’s presence in Austin actually proved to be beneficial for the local broadband industry and even spurred some growth. So, Fiber is definitely a worthwhile option to look into!