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

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.

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Source: Salt Lake Tribune

While it’s well-established that Google Fiber’s expansion into Provo, Utah hinges on Google buying the city’s existing iProvo network, we didn’t immediately learn what it took to land the tentative deal. Newly available details of the agreement reveal that the up-front cost is largely in the visitor’s favor — it’s the long-term development that rewards the locals. Google only pays $1 to buy the local fiber network, but it has five years to finish upgrades and deployments that could ultimately cost $30 million, according to the Deputy Mayor’s estimates. About the only remaining costs for Provo are its already existing (if significant) development loans, and the city can always buy the network back for $1 if things go sour. The pact also leaves the door open to public WiFi, although there are no guarantees that Google will mirror its New York City efforts anytime soon. When the search giant has a very healthy bank balance, we doubt there will be much quibbling over the exact terms; just know that the arrangement isn’t strictly one-sided.

Filed under: Networking, Internet, Google

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Source: AP

Only a few days back we reported that Google Fiber was finally coming to Austin. It had campaigned to became the launch city for Google’s gigabit internet service but lost out to Kansas. Apparently the next Google Fiber location is Provo, Utah. This according to a local Provo based website and the Provo mayor’s promise that he’ll be making an epic announcement today at 12:30 p.m. PST.

The mayor wrote on his blog that this announcement will be the “single largest accomplishment” of his professional career. Rumors are already flying around town as to what this announcement is about, the mayor lists some humorous ones on his blog. Google Fiber seems a possibility because there’s already a fiber optic infrastructure in place, it was sold to a private company in the past, but now the city has bought it back again. At the moment both Google and the mayor’s office have not commented on this story. Those who’ll not be able to attend the announcement need not worry, the mayor is providing a live stream of his press conference. What do you think, Fiber or no Fiber?

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