1000 Mbps Google Fiber service hits Kansas City
Google's recently launched Google Fiber service offers that a 1,000 Mbps Internet service, which is a hundred times faster than the average Internet connection in the world, seems to be off to a great start.
The search giant launched the Google Fiber service in Kansas City a few days ago. Aimed at consumers only and offering a gigabit speed Internet connection and cable TV this service has already received over 3,900 pre-registrations. Over 20 percent of the fiberhood zones that the company has designated have gained enough pre-registrations to guarantee a buildout.
The reason Kansas was picked as the launch city is explained by Kevin Lo, General Manager of Google Access, in a blog post on the Google Fiber Blog. Lo wrote, “When we announced that we wanted to provide a community with Internet access more than 100 times faster than what most Americans enjoy today, we asked who was interested in working with us. More than 1,100 cities raised their hands, and those of you in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri won us over with your enthusiasm for better, faster web connections.”
According to The Verge, Google intends to build the service in areas with the most internet connections first and calls each buildout a “rally”. In order to qualify for a rally, each fiberhood must gather a minimum required number of $10 pre-registrations to bring Google’s Internet service to that zone.
There are three different packages available for Google’s Internet service. There is a common construction fee of $300 for connecting the home to the fiber infrastructure, irrespective of the package opted for. Internet access alone will cost $70 for Internet. Internet and cable TV service will cost $120 a month.
The packages available are:
Google Fiber + TV: This is the ultimate package which offers symmetrical gigabit-speed connection plus Google TV, which offers local channels, YouTube, Netflix and Google’s “fiber channels”. Consumers opting for this package will also get a brand new Nexus 7 tablet, which they can use as a remote control for the TV. There is also a regular Bluetooth remote control in the package, in case you find the tablet a bit too big to pass as a remote control. Plus, Google is also planning to release an iOS app for controlling the Google Fiber TV product with iPhones or iPads. A Wi-Fi router and a 2 TB storage box are part of this package. Consumers will also get a free terabyte of storage in Google’s cloud locker, G Drive. The total cost for this package is $120 per month and if customers sign a two-year contract Google will waive the $300 connection fee.
Google Fiber: This package offers the same thing except the TV package. This will suit consumers who just want high-speed Internet connection and are not much interested in the TV service. This package costs $70 a month and for users who sign a 1-year contract Google will waive the $300 connection fee.
Free Internet: This is exactly what it says – free Internet connection with no monthly charge. However, consumers will have to pay the construction fee of $300 either lumpsum or $25 a month if they sign up for one year. This plan covers any household which falls in the fiber footprint.
Though the installation charges and the plans seem expensive - costing around Rs. 6,600 every month - the 1Gbps fast Google Fiber+TV plan is an unbelievably good deal compared with the Internet service available in India. A decent 1 Mbps connection would cost around Rs. 1,000 per month in India. All we can do is wish that Google Fiber makes its way to India at some point in the future, but that probably won't happen.
At the time of writing this, there are just under 42 days to pre-register for Google Fiber.
Google's recently launched Google Fiber service offers that a 1,000 Mbps Internet service, which is a hundred times faster than the average Internet connection in the world, seems to be off to a great start.
The search giant launched the Google Fiber service in Kansas City a few days ago. Aimed at consumers only and offering a gigabit speed Internet connection and cable TV this service has already received over 3,900 pre-registrations. Over 20 percent of the fiberhood zones that the company has designated have gained enough pre-registrations to guarantee a buildout.
The reason Kansas was picked as the launch city is explained by Kevin Lo, General Manager of Google Access, in a blog post on the Google Fiber Blog. Lo wrote, “When we announced that we wanted to provide a community with Internet access more than 100 times faster than what most Americans enjoy today, we asked who was interested in working with us. More than 1,100 cities raised their hands, and those of you in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri won us over with your enthusiasm for better, faster web connections.”
According to The Verge, Google intends to build the service in areas with the most internet connections first and calls each buildout a “rally”. In order to qualify for a rally, each fiberhood must gather a minimum required number of $10 pre-registrations to bring Google’s Internet service to that zone.
There are three different packages available for Google’s Internet service. There is a common construction fee of $300 for connecting the home to the fiber infrastructure, irrespective of the package opted for. Internet access alone will cost $70 for Internet. Internet and cable TV service will cost $120 a month.
The packages available are:
Google Fiber + TV: This is the ultimate package which offers symmetrical gigabit-speed connection plus Google TV, which offers local channels, YouTube, Netflix and Google’s “fiber channels”. Consumers opting for this package will also get a brand new Nexus 7 tablet, which they can use as a remote control for the TV. There is also a regular Bluetooth remote control in the package, in case you find the tablet a bit too big to pass as a remote control. Plus, Google is also planning to release an iOS app for controlling the Google Fiber TV product with iPhones or iPads. A Wi-Fi router and a 2 TB storage box are part of this package. Consumers will also get a free terabyte of storage in Google’s cloud locker, G Drive. The total cost for this package is $120 per month and if customers sign a two-year contract Google will waive the $300 connection fee.
Google Fiber: This package offers the same thing except the TV package. This will suit consumers who just want high-speed Internet connection and are not much interested in the TV service. This package costs $70 a month and for users who sign a 1-year contract Google will waive the $300 connection fee.
Free Internet: This is exactly what it says – free Internet connection with no monthly charge. However, consumers will have to pay the construction fee of $300 either lumpsum or $25 a month if they sign up for one year. This plan covers any household which falls in the fiber footprint.
Though the installation charges and the plans seem expensive - costing around Rs. 6,600 every month - the 1Gbps fast Google Fiber+TV plan is an unbelievably good deal compared with the Internet service available in India. A decent 1 Mbps connection would cost around Rs. 1,000 per month in India. All we can do is wish that Google Fiber makes its way to India at some point in the future, but that probably won't happen.
At the time of writing this, there are just under 42 days to pre-register for Google Fiber.
