Calling it the "next phase of the Internet", Google announced the details of the roll out of its ultrahigh-speed Internet network this week, which will offer speeds 100 times faster than typical broadband connections to residents of Kansas City.
Selected last year as the lucky city to host Google's experimental foray into the world of broadband providers, an initial round of 170,000 homes in the Kansas City area will have the option of purchasing the gigabit Internet service, known as Google Fiber, for $70 a month, reports John Eligon.
Viewed by skeptics as "a publicity stunt that will do little to advance the country's broadband agenda," the project, which was delayed by a dispute about how and where to run fiber optic lines earlier in the year, is being viewed by analysts as an attempt by the company to "flex its muscle in Washington, where policy makers have been criticized for being slow to deliver national broadband."
According to Eligon, "Google executives said they were hoping to bring Internet speeds
up to date with existing technology, noting that the current average
household broadband speed was only slightly faster than it was 16 years
ago when it was first introduced in homes."
"The next phase of the
Internet, the next chapter of the Internet is written here today,"
Patrick Pichette, Google's chief financial officer, said in an interview
after a presentation that included video demonstrations.
A competition to register interested homeowners in various "fiberhoods," will determine who will get first access to
the service in the fall.
FULL STORY: Google Unveils Superfast Internet in Kansas City, Mo.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie