City of Decatur & Google Fiber to Explore Bringing Ultra-High Speed Internet Access to Community
Decatur Metro | February 19, 2014 | 2:16 pmLots of Atlanta cities on Google’s list of cities being considered for Google Fiber, including Decatur. Here’s Decatur’s announcement….
DECATUR, Ga. — Today, Mayor Jim Baskett announced that Decatur is on a short list of cities working with Google to explore the possibility of bringing the ultra high speed Google Fiber broadband network to the city.
Improving broadband speed and choice for our residents has been a priority for Decatur for years, including applying for Google Fiber in 2010. Today’s average American broadband speed is 9.8 Megabits per second. In contrast, Google Fiber could bring Decatur residents access to “Gigabit” Internet connections up to 1,000 Megabits per second—or up to 100 times faster than basic broadband.
“The City of Decatur is proud to be on Google’s short list,” said Mayor Baskett. “Decatur is known for being forward thinking in our commitment to sustainable, long-term planning. We now have the opportunity to demonstrate that we are fiber ready and future ready. Our entire community of homes, schools and places of worship would benefit from Google Fiber’s unbelievably fast internet speeds, in ways we can’t even imagine. We look forward to Google’s building the infrastructure for this technological investment in our community.”
“Communities with abundant high-speed Internet grow stronger because there’s greater potential to create jobs, drive economic growth, and help students and families get access to essential resources” said Kevin Lo, General Manager for Google Fiber. “The Decatur City Commission is stepping up to see what they can do to make their city ready for the fiber-optic networks that are the future. We look forward to working with the City of Decatur in the coming months to see if we can build the next chapter of the Internet together, on gigabit speeds.”
There is huge consumer demand for faster Internet speeds, because no one likes to wait on the web. Unfortunately, many of the things people love to do online (like gaming, watching movies, video chatting) require a lot of bandwidth, which means that, using today’s connections, consumers often get stuck waiting for pages to load or for videos to buffer. Statistics show that people walk away from slow-loading sites. And gig networks aren’t just about meeting today’s speed needs. The next 100x leap in broadband speeds — to gigabit Internet — will lead to innovation that’s unimaginable today, just as the shift from dial-up to broadband did.
Starting this week, Google will work closely with city leaders and staff on a joint planning process to explore what it would take to build a brand new fiber-optic network capable of delivering these gigabit speeds throughout the city of Decatur. Google will begin compiling a detailed study of local factors that might affect construction plans. Simultaneously, city officials will begin meetings with Google to discuss what it would take to plan and prepare the city for a fiber project of this scale.
Google will provide an update on which cities will get Google Fiber by the end of this year. Google Fiber is an Internet and TV service that provides Internet connectivity that is up to 100x faster than the basic broadband, along with hundreds of HD TV channels. Google Fiber is currently available in Kansas City, Kan., Kansas City, Mo. and Provo, Utah and will be available in Austin, Texas later this year. For more information about this announcement, visit the Google Fiber blog.
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October 15, 2014 Google Fiber Decision Will Be Made By Year End (2)
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October 14, 2014 AT&T To Offer Super Fast Internet in Decatur (5)
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May 15, 2014 City of Decatur “One Step Closer to Google Fiber” (11)
Please let this happen!
Yes please!!!!
Now this is something to get excited about. This could definitely lead to an increased office presence downtown, broadening the tax base and adding jobs. Show those Google gals and guys all of our great bars and buy ‘em a drink!
YES!!
There was an article about cities providing fiber internet access a few weeks ago. I hope I am remembering this correctly, but the statistic they cited was something like, we pay 4 times as much in the U.S. for internet access that is 30% slower as compared to coutries like Sweden and South Korea. Apparently, municipalities (like Stockholm) that made the fiber cable investment years ago are cashing in hugely now.
Here’s the link to the NPR story: http://www.wbur.org/npr/272480919/when-it-comes-to-high-speed-internet-u-s-falling-way-behind
Geography is a part of it; the U.S. is a big place. But yes, we have woefully under-invested in infrastructure while allowing corporations to stifle competition through lobbying.
Actually, the article talks about areas with similar population density as the U.S.
Avondale Estates is on the short list too.
I believe it’s a joint Decatur/AVE/somebody else application. Clarkston, maybe?
From AJC:
In addition to Atlanta, local cities under consideration are Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, College Park, Decatur, East Point, Hapeville, Sandy Springs and Smyrna. Across the country, Google is looking at a mix of major cities such as Phoenix and Portland and smaller communities such as Chapel Hill, NC, and Palo Alto, Calif.
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/google-eyes-atlanta-super-fast-internet/ndTPZ/
From the original 2010 partnership announcement:
“The Cities of Avondale Estates, Chamblee, Decatur, Doraville, and Dunwoody along with Emory University are partnering together to answer Google’s search for a trial location to test its ultra-high speed broadband network.”
Here is the Facebook link:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Atlanta-Urban-Area-Partnership-for-Google/367360836276
So what do they look for when choosing a city, I wonder?
They need to know they won’t encounter much resistance if they have to fell a tree or two which lies in their proposed fiber location.
I’m very excited about this, but a little confused… Is Decatur competing with Avondale Estates and other metro Atlanta cities or are they, as a group, being shortlisted? I believe they applied as a group, but both the Decatur and AE announcements don’t really talk about other cities being involved. Unless I missed something, of course, which is possible with my winter storm/earthquake/ready for spring addled brain.
I asked Kelly Brooks, with Avondale Estates, your question and have added her response to my story on Decaturish. She says, “As a communications rep explained it to me, it’s not a competition. It depends on whether a city successfully completes the Google Fiber checklist.”
Hope that helps.
Thanks! I guess it does, although it does beg the question of why they had to band together in the first place. I’m glad it’s not an either/or in any case. I’d hate to see Decatur lose out to AE.
Dan, your article is not tagged in the Kirkwood section of your site, and it reads like this plan excludes City of Atlanta as one of the chosen cities. When I look at the FAQ’s on the Google fiber site, I read City of Atlanta as one of nine cities chosen in the metro area. The reason I bring this up is it seems to me that, geographically, it is critical for City of Atlanta to get on board and allow the Google fiber-optic network lines to reach Decatur and the other smaller cities, no? Financially, I doubt Google would go forward with the smaller cities if the bigger City of Atlanta isn’t on board…but I don’t know anything about fiber-optic network construction.
P.S. Thanks for your site and all your hard work for the area. I appreciate it!
“or up to 100 times faster than basic broadband”
Stupid question time. Do our various devices have the ability to handle that speed or will we only realize a small fraction of the gains now?
Some will and some won’t. But the people that work and home and the small businesses that would benefit from it most will surely have the equipment required to make use of it.
There’s also the looming issue of net neutrality, and this is a big disruptor in that. The way they current law is set up, Comcast can throttle your bandwidth to certain sites. So if Comcast/NBC decides that Netflix is draining too much of their business, they can charge you extra for access to the Netflix servers. ATT isn’t going to be any different. Google Fiber on the other hand….
I really can’t think of a single infrastructure investment that would be a bigger boon for small, creative businesses than a really big fat set of internet tubes running down Ponce.
It’s really business that would benefit more from it, for example, people who edit video online or design games collaboratively. The consumer would be able to stream a Netflix movie with greater ease, but it’s the tech community that benefits the most. I believe Chattanooga has speeds even faster than what Google is proposing, and they have attracted a number of tech startups.
Ok, who knows people at google? Let’s try and do some additional lobbying!
this makes my pants tight
That’s Number Wang!
This would be incredible. Anything we as citizens can do to help bump ourselves up to the top of the list?
Seems like it’s all up to the city now to convince Google that it would be a streamlined process. Here are some of Google’s steps from their site…
1 – We’ll provide a checklist of things for these cities to complete to help make their area ready for fiber. We’re asking cities to provide us with information that can speed up planning and construction (e.g. maps of poles, conduit, existing water, gas, and electricity lines). We also ask that they streamline processes (e.g. permitting procedures and access to local infrastructure) to make it easier for a construction process of this scale to move quickly.
2 – At the same time, Google Fiber will begin scoping the costs and timelines for building a new fiber-optic network. Google will conduct a detailed study of factors that affect construction plans, such as topography (e.g. hills, flood zones), housing density, and the condition of local infrastructure.
Hills and flood zones?
Welp, we’re out.
from an article about Portland’s pursuit:
“Google says it won’t charge cities to bring Google Fiber to these communities, but it does want their cooperation in assessing the availability and condition of utility poles and locating water and sewer lines that could interfere with burying fiber-optic cables . . . Topographical or bureaucratic obstacles might [also] stand in Google’s way”
“While Google’s Internet service isn’t cheaper than its rivals’ – it costs $70 a month in Kansas City – it is roughly 100 times faster than their standard offerings.
Additionally, Google offers a companion cable TV service to its Internet customers for about $50 a month. Again, that’s not a lot cheaper than other bundled cable packages – but that price includes HD TV and a DVR, premium services from others.”
http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2014/02/google_fiber_gigabit_portland.html
Those utility requirements are tough – can we assume that potential canopy coverage and critical root zones rules will make Google Fiber less likely?
Google Internet $70.
Google TV $50.
Telling Comcast to go back to hell,
PRICELESS.
+1000!
Since they are bringing this service to cities so they sign up customers, it would seem larger denser cities would have an advantage, right?
Does anyone know if this is just for people within the city limits only, or certain zip codes? I know that this is all speculative at this point, but I’m finding myself getting very excited about telling Comcast to go **** themselves. Unfortunately, I live about a block from the Avondale Estates city limits in unincorporated Dekalb.
I’m in the same situation, but just a stone’s throw from the Decatur city limits. Quick, Decatur, ANNEX ME!
Same here – a mediocre golf shot outside the COD limits. Pleeeeeease hook me up anyway!!!
I’m sure that CoD will keep us informed as best they can, but if you want another avenue of communication, here’s a link to Google, where you can sign up for updates.
https://fiber.google.com/newcities/
Here’s an article about Chattanooga’s fiber. The city owned power utility built it themselves 4 years ago.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/04/technology/fast-internet-service-speeds-business-development-in-chattanooga.html?_r=0
One article I read speculated that Google will want a certain number of commitments from businesses and residents to sign up before they approve installation in a particular location.
If there are solutions out there that are faster than Google, then doesn’t the city have a responsibility to solicit proposals from the competition. If this is a service I will eventually have to pay $70 to $120 or more for, and/or if the city’s deal with Google prevents any kind of competition, then a full blown RFP should be in order.
Here is an AP story:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GOOGLE_HIGH_SPEED_INTERNET?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-02-19-14-29-56
Anybody know a way to provide support to the city on this?
There’s a lot of existing fiber infrastructure near Decatur that could be highlighted in our response. While Google will certainly be aware of the infrastructure itself, efforts on behalf of the city to begin reaching out and establishing partnerships with these infrastructure owners could be useful.
I’ve found that the best way to tackle something like that is to create a new Festival to promote the idea
Fantastic idea! All we’ll need is a banner proclaiming the new Decatur Festival for Fast Internet. Then everyone can proceed wandering around the square staring at their phones and looking at their phones while having dinner. Cheapest festival ever.
FIBERFEST
Yes! A FAB plan and needed everywhere. Europe is kilometers ahead on this score already and we are falling behind.