The Rise of Google Fiber

Remember years ago, when we had to wait – sometimes minutes at a time – for computers to dial up to the Internet? With that awful noise in tow, desktop owners everywhere had to decide between taking phone calls, or logging into their AOL email accounts. Now, imagine telling the 1995 version of yourself that in the future, the Internet would not only be free, but that we could access it 24/7, without the use of a phone line.

Your mind would have been blown.

While we may be years or so away from reality – at least for much of the country – thanks to Google Fiber, free surfing is finally in view.

What is it?

Google Fiber is essentially free Internet offered by Google. Users can pay a one-time installment fee of $300 (or $25/month for a year) for no-fee service at today’s average speeds, meaning what most other Internet providers have to offer.

Or, for super Internet speeds, users can pay $70/month (with no installment fees), for some of the fastest downloads the world has ever seen. (Users can even add TV service for a combined $120/month.) This Gigabit plan comes at speeds 100 times faster than “normal” service, and offers “instant downloads.” That means download speeds will be 1,000 megabits or 125 megabytes per second. That’s fast! With this Gigabit plan, you could transfer an entire gigabyte of data in eight seconds — unless you’re a bull rider, that’s an impressively quick stat.

As for 10 gigabytes, they can be transferred in less than 90 seconds. Today, most movies on iTunes are under five gigs, meaning in under a minute, you can download and start watching a brand new movie.

On the Rise

While the service is limited at the time, it won’t be long before cities everywhere are enjoying either free or super speedy online access. Next on the docket are suburban Kansas City towns, with Fiber Poles also on the schedule. These Fiber Poles will essentially turn utility poles into hot spots, but not just any WiFi access, Google Fiber-enabled hot spots. That way, no matter our location, home or on the go, trustworthy Internet can always be found.

Thanks, Google, we knew you’d come through.