Louisville –Louisville will begin working with Google Fiber to explore building a new superfast broadband network in the city, Mayor Greg Fischer announced today.
Improving broadband speeds and choice for Louisville residents has been a priority since Fischer became Mayor in 2011 because fast Internet service is as critical for economic growth and innovation as roads, bridges, water and other infrastructure investments.
Today’s average American broadband speed is 11.9 Megabits per second. In contrast, Google Fiber could bring Louisville residents access to gigabit Internet up to 1,000 Megabits per second—or up to 40 times faster than basic broadband.
“Today is a big step forward to bringing very high-speed Internet to homes and business in our city, which is critical to job growth and innovation,” Fischer said. “From businesses in Louisville that need super-computing speeds to residents who want streaming of very high-definition movies, this has the potential to impact all parts of the city.”
“Abundant high-speed Internet can help communities grow stronger, laying a foundation for innovation and economic growth,” said Jill Szuchmacher, Director of Google Fiber Expansion. “City leaders like Mayor Fischer have taken a big step to see what they can do to bring superfast fiber networks to their citizens. We look forward to working side by side with Louisville in the coming months to explore if we can bring Google Fiber to the city, and help write the next chapter of the Internet on gigabit speeds.”
Today’s announcement caps a series of technology announcements this week, including creation of a free WiFi network in the Russell neighborhood; release of the city’s annual Open Data Report, which shows a total of 156 datasets online for public consumption; and the city website being named the second best local government website in the nation.
The Google Fiber announcement is critical for the city, Fischer said, because consumer demand for faster Internet speeds is at an all-time high. Many of the things people love to do online — from gaming to streaming new movies — require significant bandwidth. Families want faster speeds at home, without buffering or fighting over bandwidth during primetime.
Fiber networks aren’t just about meeting today’s speed needs. This year the White House made faster Internet speeds a priority, citing the need to drive innovation, foster investment in new industries, and ensure that America is competitive in the global economy. The next leap in Internet speeds to gigabit Internet will lead to innovation that’s unimaginable today.
Starting this week, Google will work closely with Fischer and city leaders on a joint planning process to explore what it would take to build a new fiber optic network capable of delivering these gigabit speeds throughout Louisville. Google will begin compiling a detailed study of local factors that might affect construction plans. Simultaneously, Fischer and city leaders 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 Fiber is an Internet and TV service that provides Internet connectivity up to 1 gigabit — 40 times faster than basic broadband, along with hundreds of HD TV channels. Google Fiber is currently available in:
• Kansas City, KS, and Kansas City, MO;
• Provo, UT;
• Austin, TX.
Google Fiber in the process of expanding Google Fiber to six additional metro areas:
• Atlanta, GA;
• Charlotte, NC;
• Nashville, TN;
• Raleigh-Durham, NC;
• Salt Lake City, UT;
• San Antonio, TX.
“From Code Louisville to San Diego’s startup scene to Irvine’s collaborative workplaces, these cities are growing tech hubs with entrepreneurial cultures—great places to show us what’s possible with gigabit speeds. We’re looking forward to working together as we explore bringing Google Fiber to these communities,” Szuchmacher wrote in the announcement.
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