Hasta La Gadget!

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.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Networking, Internet, HD, Google

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Via: Google Fiber Blog

Source: Google Fiber

When Google Fiber first offered the NFL RedZone channel last season it was $10 per month by itself, but this year it has a different deal. The new “Sports Plus” pack will vary slightly in different areas, but in Kansas City it delivers RedZone plus 11 other channels (including GolTV, MLB Network Strike Zone, Pac-12 Networks, Longhorn Channel and more.) Some of the channels were previously included in the standard channel lineup, but now they’re being offloaded into this segment. Current subscribers will need to call in to add the bundle, while new signups can pick it out on the website. So far it doesn’t appear Google is shifting things to the a la carte model, but if you’re just looking to see more sportsball the add-on may be necessary.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Google

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Source: Google Fiber Blog

All you cool city cats on DSL, eat your heart out — a 1Gbps fiber internet service will soon be speeding up the lives of 8,500 residents in Olds, a rural community in Alberta, Canada. Around 60% of the populace can sign up for the $170 / month plan at the moment, but a new pricing scheme will bring it down to $57. That’s cheaper than Google Fiber, folks, which is made possible by the fact that the town itself owns the service. In fact, it’s the Olds Institute for Community and Regional Development (a non-profit) that took the bull by the horns, securing a $2.5 million grant from the Alberta government and a $6 million loan from the town itself to fund the fiber network construction. It’s thanks to the town’s authorities that the residents can soon rid themselves of crappy internet, while the rest of us can only look on in envy.

[Image credit: Barta IV / Flickr]

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Source: CBC News, O-Net

It’s a bit strange, but Missouri hasn’t received much attention from Google since Fiber debuted in Kansas City. On the Kansas side of the divide, the blazing-fast broadband has steadily rolled out to new neighborhoods. Hell, plans are already underway to bring the gigabit connection to two completely new states. Yet, there hasn’t been much progress through Missouri’s enclaves. Finally Mountain View is delivering the Show-Me State a little love, by announcing plans to expand Fiber’s reach to Grandview. Residents shouldn’t get too excited, though; there is still a ton of work to do. In fact, the effort is still in the planning stages, so sit tight. Still, the city will probably have gigabit internet before 99 percent of the country. (So, maybe get just a little excited.)

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Source: Google Fiber Blog

Provo, Utah’s plan to sell its cost-plagued fiber network to Google has been approved by the municipal council, meaning it’ll soon become the third Google Fiber city. However, while still not receiving any money upfront as earlier reported, it’ll now have to advance $1.7 million in equipment and engineering costs not part of the deal before, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. In exchange, each Provo resident will get a free 5-megabit internet connection for seven years and Google will have to upgrade the network to connect all the city’s homes. It’s not quite free, however, as the city’s 120,000 residents must still pay a $39 million bond for building the network — meaning they’ll shell out $3.3 million for each of the next 12 years.

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Source: Salt Lake Tribune