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Virgin Media claims its new wireless hub is the fastest in the land
Even if your home is in the best area for fibre broadband, and you're paying for the fastest speeds, a cheap router can let you down. Slow and patchy wireless connectivity is commonplace in the UK, in part because internet service providers (ISPs) give their subscribers ropey hardware to plug into the wall. Virgin Media claims its new Super Hub 2ac will make a difference though. The combined modem and router offers both 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless channels, with the latter supporting speeds of up to 1300Mbps. It leverages the 802.11ac wireless standard, though should you prefer some good old-fashioned cables there are also four Gigabit Ethernet ports waiting in reserve.
Google Fiber is launching in Salt Lake City
You no longer have to head to Provo if you want Google Fiber in Utah -- Google has revealed that it's bringing its gigabit internet access to the state's capital, Salt Lake City. The company is short on details, but it won't have a ready-made fiber network to use this time around. SLC's fiber network is still in the design phase, much like those in Atlanta, Nashville and North Carolina, so you could be waiting a while before you have a chance to sign up. Nonetheless, this is a good sign. Even if you don't live in the area, it suggests that Google is picking up the pace on its once-cautious Fiber rollouts and is more likely to bring extra-fast data to your city.
AT&T's gigabit internet service arrives in Google Fiber's original city
Need further proof that AT&T's GigaPower internet service is meant chiefly as a response to Google Fiber? You're looking at it. AT&T has launched its gigabit fiber option in the Kansas City area (both in Kansas state and Missouri), the original Google Fiber city. The monthly rate is the same as in other GigaPower regions (a Google-like $70 if you don't mind targeted ads, $99 if you do), but AT&T is counting on availability as its ace in the hole. It's using established networks and regulatory advantages to roll out in places that its competitor can't easily reach -- you can get GigaPower in Leawood, for example, while Google isn't allowed to hang its fiber on local poles. While AT&T doesn't shadow its rival all the time (it's offering access in cities Google hasn't even considered yet), it's clear that the telecom giant wants to avoid conceding ground. [Image credit: AP Photo/Orlin Wagner]
High speed internet access in the US reaches farther, goes faster
Thought Google Fiber's gigabit connections sounded fast? Forget about that -- it's going to be like dialing-in to 56k for folks in Minneapolis. US Internet has just announced that it's bring 10 gigabit-per-second connections to the city next summer. The service costs a steep $400 a month, but "regular" gigabit internet will be available for a more palatable $65. The firm's high-end connections will only be available to 30,000 households west of the interstate, but it's a step in the right direction.
Google Fiber is growing slowly, by design
"Keep Austin Weird." It's the proud slogan of the Texas capital, and it wears it well, especially with its eclectic mix of culture, history and technology. Pretty soon, Austin will have one more reason to be proud: it'll be one of a few cities in America to carry Google Fiber, the search giant's experimental foray as a broadband provider. "It is, as always, step by step," Google Fiber head of project management Adam Smith tells me. Smith is sitting across from me in Austin's new Google Fiber space, hesitantly explaining how Google isn't very experienced at this whole "internet provider" thing it's been doing. On paper, Austin is the third city to support Google's internet service, but reality is less black and white. "Provo was an acquisition," Smith reminds me. "This is really the second organic city... ...it's sort of also saying that this is also new for us."
Google Fiber's new gear lets you watch more shows on more TVs
If gigabit internet isn't reason enough to tempt Austinites to sign up for Google Fiber, they can chew on this: Austin Texas will be the first Fiber city to enjoy the benefits of Google's latest in-home hardware devices. Today Google officially revealed its new Fiber router, a single unit that consolidates the existing network and storage boxes into one device. This is the same router that rolled out to Kansas City residents in Google's beta program earlier this year -- but there's a little more going on here than mere device consolidation.
Google Fiber sign-ups go live in Austin
If you've been champing at the bit waiting for Google Fiber's Austin launch, today is your big day. Google is now taking sign-ups for gigabit internet access in the southern and southeastern parts of town. As in Kansas City, it'll cost $70 for data alone and $130 if you want TV on top. Other Austinites will get their chance in the future, Google says. Just be ready to act quickly if you're eligible -- there's a sign-up deadline for each qualifying neighborhood, so you risk missing out on Google's super-quick service if you're not careful.
Google Fiber hits Austin this December
It looks like AT&T's gigabit internet is going to get some new company in Austin come December: Google Fiber. At a recent planning meeting in the Weird City, Mountain View detailed how it'll at long last roll the service out, and, as Gigaom notes, it seems similar to what's been in place in the Kansas City, Missouri area. Just like before, individual neighborhoods will have to commit to using the service for Google to consider putting Fiber there. If your area's selected, you'll have to pay a $300 "construction fee" to access the pipeline but, aside from a free 5mbps package, other pricing details haven't been announced. Itching to sign-up and get yourself on the map? You'll have to wait until the last month of the year for that. It feels like a lifetime ago since we first caught wind of Fiber's Austin appearance, but surely you've used those 18 months to plan your first blazing-fast download, right? [Image credit: StuSeeger/Flickr]
Google Fiber proves it's serious about fast internet with a new leader
Worried that Google Fiber would just be a momentary fascination for the folks in Mountain View? Don't be. Google has confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that it recently hired Dennis Kish, one of Qualcomm's bigger senior vice presidents, to lead its gigabit internet efforts. While it's not clear why Kish came onboard beyond his "operational expertise," he's no stranger to managing big tech projects. Among other work, he played key roles in both Qualcomm's Mirasol display efforts and ST-Ericsson's connectivity business. That kind of know-how could be crucial given Google's expansion plans, especially if rumors of mobile phone service pan out. It's too soon to gauge Kish's influence, but a high-profile hire like this suggests that Fiber's super-fast data service is only going to get bigger -- and that your local telecom giant may well get some genuine competition. [Image credit: Neerav Bhatt, Flickr]
Cox will start its gigabit internet rollout in Phoenix, Las Vegas and Omaha
Bandwidth-hungry internet users can register a few new cities as potentially acceptable places to live. Following Google Fiber and AT&T, Cox Communications is one of the first big cable companies to announce plans for internet service at gigabit speeds, and the initial areas on its list are Phoenix, Las Vegas and Omaha. It's also extending its WiFi hotspot program to Phoenix and Las Vegas, and promises the high speed connections will both to neighborhoods and "select" new condo or apartment developments. If you have Cox but don't live in those areas you're not entirely out of luck, since it's also cranking up the speeds on its existing tiers this year. The Preferred tier will go from 25Mbps to 50Mbps, while its high speed internet service is going from 50Mbps to 100Mbps. The bad news? The gigabit rollout could take a while, since the company is only saying it will begin rolling out these speeds in all of its markets by the end of 2016. [Image credit: Ed Shadid / Flickr]
Cox wants to hop on the gigabit internet bandwagon this year
In case there was any doubt that gigabit internet access is spreading like wildfire in the US, Cox has revealed plans to introduce an ultra-fast service of its own. The cable provider tells Bloomberg that it hopes to have 1Gbps speeds available by the end of the year, with news of the initial markets coming in the next two to three weeks. CEO Pat Esser notes that gigabit has been on the cards for a long time, but admits that news from rivals like AT&T and Google tipped Cox's hand -- the company wants to let its customers know that they won't be left in the slow lane.
AT&T hopes to fight Google Fiber with gigabit internet in more cities
AT&T isn't letting Google Fiber's expansion plans go unanswered. The telecom giant has announced that it's looking at bringing its GigaPower internet service to as many as 21 additional big cities and their nearby municipalities. There's some potential for direct competition with Google, as both companies are looking into gigabit access for key urban areas like Atlanta, San Antonio and San Jose. However, it's clear that AT&T is taking some initiative here -- it's also exploring rollouts in Chicago, Los Angeles and other hubs that aren't currently on its rival's roadmap.
San Antonio clears Google Fiber's legal hurdles ahead of a possible deal
San Antonio really wants Google Fiber. Really badly. So badly, in fact, that its City Council has approved leases for Google's networking nodes despite the absence of official rollout plans. The Texas town hopes that removing this legal obstacle in advance will make it a prime candidate for Fiber's next big launch. Google still has some evaluation to do before it can even consider a San Antonio deployment, so locals shouldn't dream of what they'll do with gigabit internet access just yet. However, it's not hard to see why the city is so optimistic -- even the hint of a Fiber launch tends to spur competition and improve speeds for everyone. [Image credit: Nan Palmero, Flickr]
Bright House set to match Google's Fiber speeds in Tampa community
Despite some recent PR setbacks, Google has become the people's champion in cities with its gigabit fiber network -- thanks in part to the low reputation (and speeds) of regular providers. However, one cable outfit, Bright House Networks, is at least seeing the commercial value in such installations. It's joining forces with a real estate company to build a gigabit fiber-to-the-home network for a 6,000-unit development in Tampa, Florida. The first houses will be occupied this summer, with completion slated for 2017. Bright House said the move is not a response to Google's recent announcement that it'll expand Fiber to 34 more cities, but meant rather as a "differentiator" for the community. With its average internet speed around a fortieth of that figure, we imagine the rest of the company's 2.4 million subscribers will keenly notice the difference.
Google Fiber explores bringing gigabit internet to 34 new cities
Google has only made plans to roll out gigabit internet access in three US cities so far, but it's not content with stopping there. The company is now exploring the feasibility of deploying Google Fiber in 34 cities located around the major urban hubs of Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Phoenix, Portland (Oregon), Raleigh-Durham, Salt Lake City, San Antonio and San Jose. In each case, Google will work with local officials to both map out its potential network and create a checklist of requirements. The search giant would like to bring Fiber to every one of the cities if possible. Be careful not to get your hopes up, though -- Google warns that it might not be practical to offer service in every territory. Even so, the potential for expansion should prove comforting to Americans worried that they're running out of choices for broadband providers.
C Spire kicks off pre-registration for its Mississippi gigabit fiber service
C Spire, the regional wireless carrier with gigabit-sized dreams, has just announced that residents in nine Mississippi cities can now pre-register for its home fiber program. The southern US-based company recently revealed its plans to join Google, AT&T and others by taking a similar tack to Mountain View: making municipalities convince them they needed it. Candidates will need to put down a $10 deposit for the service, which C Spire says will run $80 for internet only and up to $160 for internet, home phone and cable TV services. During the ramp up, denizens of the candidate "fiberhoods" will be able to view progress maps, which will turn green when pre-registration rates hit 35-45 percent. Once a critical number of the 80 neighborhoods are on board, construction will begin. If you're in one of the finalist cities you can check your eligibility and sign up if you feel the need for speed -- otherwise, count on some neighborly peer-pressure.
Google Fiber sign-ups begin in Provo, but only for a lucky few
Provo citizens who've been craving Google Fiber can finally sign up for service -- some of them, anyway. Google is now accepting early registrations from Veracity Networks' residential customers, whose internet access is already linked to the former iProvo network that Fiber will use. Qualifying locals who register by October 31st will get Google's internet and IPTV services before anyone else, with pricing unchanged from what Google offers in Kansas City. Be prepared to wait if you're not one of the fortunate few, though, as Google won't start general sign-ups until January.
AT&T brings 300Mbps fiber internet to Austin in December, gigabit by 'mid-2014'
Now that AT&T is actually laying down fiber-optic line in Austin, we have yet another reason to be jealous of Texas' weird city. According to Ma Bell, "tens of thousands" will be getting 300Mbps downloads (and uploads), the "fastest internet speeds available" in town to the general public, come December. Those subscribers can snag a free upgrade to gigabit service -- GigaPower, as the company calls it -- when it's available in the middle of next year. Oh, and if you want a say in where the ultra-fast service travels, make your neighborhood proud by voting at AT&T's website. For some reason though, we don't imagine Google will be casting any ballots. [Original image credit: Adriano Aurielo Araujo / Flickr]
Gigabit Squared outlines Seattle fiber prices: 1Gbps for $80 per month
Ultra-high-speed fiber-to-the-home from Gigabit Squared isn't scheduled to light up Seattle until 2014, but the outfit's just revealed what it aims to charge for its blisteringly-fast internet service. Folks who are content with the bare minimum can pay a $350 installation fee and net 5Mbps up and 1Mbps down at no charge for 60 months, and can then convert to $10 each month for 10Mbps both ways. With a one-year contract, residents of The Emerald City can avoid the setup charge and score 100Mbps down and 100Mbps up for a $45 monthly bill. If pure speed is your prime directive, 1Gbps up and down will be available for $80 per month, and with no cash put towards installation. Aching to hook up to the web at those eye-watering speeds? You'll have to live in Seattle's West Campus District, First Hill, Capitol Hill or Central Area neighborhoods, as they'll be the first connected to Gigabit Squared's pipes. There's no sign-up process just yet, but it's scheduled to go live next month. Update: We've corrected the story to reflect that the free plan can be converted to a $10 monthly plan after 60 months, which boosts speeds to 10Mbps up and down. [Image credit: Eli Duke, Flickr]
Provo, Utah is the third city to get Google Fiber
Google Fiber is growing in Kansas City and, as recently reported, coming to Austin, and today Mountain View revealed a third city that will enjoy its high-speed internet: Provo, Utah. The news broke today on the official Fiber blog, Provo's website and the city mayor's personal blog -- what official wouldn't be happy to break that news? If the agreement is approved by the city council, Google will buy the city's existing iProvo network and upgrade it to Gigabit technology. The deal would bring free 5Mbps service to homes already on the iProvo network (for a $30 activation fee) and offer free connectivity for 25 public institutions. The council will vote next Tuesday -- but we can't imagine any verdict other than a resounding "yes." [Thanks, all]
