Category Archives: Google Fiber

The latest news from the Google Fiber team

E2D building connections that bridge the Digital Divide



On Saturday, Google Fiber joined Charlotte’s E2D to send 1,000 kids back to school well equipped to vault the digital divide. 


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It was the biggest distribution of free refurbished laptops in the history of E2D (aka Eliminate the Digital Divide) and the latest chapter in our long-running relationship.


“My first meeting with Google Fiber was on June 9, 2015,” says ever-ebullient E2D co-founder Pat Millen. “Getting that first grant from Google Fiber made us feel like we were being ‘seen’ for our potential. It meant everything at the time and our relationship with Google Fiber remains very special to us.”


E2D formed in 2012 to help bridge Charlotte’s digital divide, which the org defines as “the opportunity gap between those who have ready-access to computers and the internet, and those who do not.” E2D collects used laptops from generous corporations, refurbishes them in student-led technology labs, and distributes them to student families who don't have a computer at home.


On Saturday, August 26th Google Fiber team members were among the many eager volunteers handing out the 1,000 laptops at the ImaginOn Library. Jess George, Google Fiber's Head of Digital Equity & Community Impact noted that the event meant E2D has distributed more than 38,000 laptops since its founding.



“Being part of this journey has been so special to all of us at Google Fiber,” George said. “We have prioritized inclusion and connection, and, honestly, hearing Pat talk about our relationship brings tears to my eyes.” 


Posted by Pat Millen. Founder/President, E2D - Eliminate the Digital Divide





Google Fiber expands to Murfreesboro, Tennessee

It’s already been a busy summer for Google Fiber in Middle Tennessee with big announcements in Franklin and Smyrna — and it’s getting even hotter. Today, the Murfreesboro City Council approved a license agreement which will enable us to bring fast, reliable internet to one of the fastest growing cities in the country.


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Our engineering team is getting to work on network design, which is the first step in our construction process, and we’ll be working closely with the City of Murfreesboro on permitting throughout the project. We expect to kick off construction early in 2024 and plan to serve our first customers in Murfreesboro later in the year. Residents who are interested in staying up to date on the construction process and service availability can sign up here. 


Thank you to the Mayor and City Council for their leadership. They had a clear vision of ensuring access to high speed internet for residents and local businesses. Google Fiber is looking forward to being a part of Murfreesboro’s connected future.


Posted by Ryun Jackson, Government & Community Affairs Manager

Google Fiber is expanding to another Colorado city — Wheat Ridge.

Google Fiber is getting deeply rooted in Wheat Ridge, Colorado!

Yesterday, the Wheat Ridge City Council unanimously passed an agreement which will allow GFiber to deliver high speed internet to residents and businesses in the community.

Wheat Ridge is our third fiber-to-the-home city in the Rocky Mountain state, joining Lakewood and Westminster, which were announced within the past year. We’ve been active in the Denver area since 2017, providing gigabit speeds with Google Fiber Webpass to apartments and condominiums in the city.

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Wheat Ridge has long been known for growing beautiful things — in fact, it’s known as Carnation City, because of the many carnation farms that were once located here. GFiber is looking forward to growing something special for residents here as well, connecting them to high quality internet.

We expect to start construction in 2024 and begin serving customers later next year. Anyone looking for more information on service availability or the construction process can sign up for updates. Additionally, we are hiring in the Denver area — if you are interested in joining our team, please check out our website.  

Posted by Sasha Petrovic, General Manager - Southwest Region



Latinitas conecta a la próxima generación de mujeres líderes a Internet de alta velocidad en el centro de Texas con el apoyo de Google Fiber

GFiber trabaja con organizaciones de todo el país para conectar a más personas con los beneficios de Internet de calidad. En Austin, Latinitas ayuda a las mujeres jóvenes a desarrollar las habilidades necesarias para vivir en un mundo digital. La directora de comunicaciones, Salwa Yordi, comparte su historia.


Nuestra misión en Latinitas es empoderar a todas las niñas para que innoven a través de los medios de comunicación y la tecnología. Brindamos programación en persona y virtual para que las estudiantes se expresen, desarrollen habilidades tecnológicas, aprendan sobre su cultura y descubran su voz única. Cada verano la Latinitas organiza “Club Latinitas” para niños de ocho a 18 años para facilitar clases sobre creatividad digital y codificación. Sin duda, se necesita Internet confiable de alta velocidad para apoyar adecuadamente a estas niñas y sus proyectos innovadores.


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Como Conexión Comunitaria de Google Fiber, Latinitas ha confiado en nuestro servicio de Google Fiber para brindar actividades enriquecedoras y recursos educativos que se han integrado perfectamente en las actividades de nuestro campamento, incluyendo talleres de transmisión en vivo con oradores invitados de alrededor de todo el país.


Según la Liga Nacional de Ciudades, solo el 65% de las personas Hispanas que viven en los Estados Unidos tienen acceso a una forma de conexión de banda ancha en comparación con las personas Blancas (80%) y Negras (71%). En Texas, más del 15% de los hogares carecen de banda ancha en cinco condados del centro de Texas (Bastrop, Fayette, Lee, Caldwell y Mason), según estimaciones de la Oficina del Censo de EE. UU. de 2017 a 2021. Además de la falta de acceso, también hay una falta de habilidades digitales dentro de la comunidad Latina. Para abordar esta necesidad, Google Fiber ha sido un socio constante en la financiación de las clases digitales para padres de Latinitas durante los últimos años.


Por primera vez, cada campista en Latinitas tiene la capacidad de interactuar con profesionales de la industria en sesiones virtuales en tiempo real, participar en talleres dinámicos y colaborar en proyectos multimedia sin interrupciones debido a la conectividad. Además, la confiabilidad de Internet también ha facilitado la investigación en línea, permitiendo a las niñas a profundizarse en áreas de interés y ultimamente desarrollar su confianza.



Latinitas se compromete a fomentar una generación de líderes expertos en tecnología. Este es un compromiso a largo plazo. Conectar a nuestra comunidad garantiza que la misión y la visión de nuestra organización permanezcan accesibles para todos, y estamos agradecidas por socios como Google Fiber que están ayudando a nuestras futuras generaciones a prosperar.


Publicado por Salwa Yordi, Directora de Comunicaciones de Latinitas

Latinitas connects the next generation of women leaders to high speed internet in Central Texas with support from Google Fiber

GFiber works with organizations across the country to connect more people to the benefits of quality internet. In Austin, Latinitas helps young women develop the necessary skills for living in a digital world. Communications Director Salwa Yordi shares their story.


Our mission at Latinitas is to empower all girls to innovate through media and technology. We provide in-person and virtual programming for students to express themselves, develop tech skills, learn about their culture, and discover their unique voice. Every summer the organization hosts “Club Latinitas” for kids ages eight to 18 to facilitate classes on digital creativity and coding. Without question, reliable high-speed internet is necessary in order to adequately support these children and their innovative projects.


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As a Google Fiber Community Connection, Latinitas has relied on our Google Fiber service to provide enriching activities and educational resources that have been seamlessly integrated into our camp activities, including live streaming workshops with guest speakers from around the country. 


According to the National League of Cities, only 65% of Hispanic individuals living in the United States have access to a form of broadband connection compared to white (80%) and Black (71%) individuals. In Texas, more than 15% of households lacked broadband in five Central Texas counties (Bastrop, Fayette, Lee, Caldwell and Mason), according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates from 2017 to 2021. In addition to the lack of access, there’s also a lack of digital skills within the Latino community. To address this need Google Fiber has been an ongoing partner in funding Latinitas Digital Parents classes for the past few years. 


For the first time, every camper at Latinitas has the ability to interact with industry professionals in real-time virtual sessions, participate in dynamic workshops and collaborate on multimedia projects without disruption due to connectivity. Additionally, the internet's reliability has also facilitated smooth online research, empowering kids to delve deeper into areas of interest and ultimately building up their confidence. 



Latinitas is committed to fostering a generation of tech-savvy leaders. This is a long-term commitment. Connecting our community ensures the mission and vision of our organization remains accessible to all, and we are thankful for partners like Google Fiber who are helping our future generations thrive.


Posted by Salwa Yordi, Communications Director at Latinitas     



Keeping Austin Wired! 5 Gig now available in Austin as Google Fiber continues growth and investment across Central Texas

Greetings from Texas — where everything is bigger, including our Austin fiber network, which has grown in leaps and bounds since you last heard from us. It’s not just bigger, it’s also faster. As of today, customers across Austin can sign up for 5 Gig which comes with symmetrical upload and download speeds up to 5,000 mbps, an included Wi-Fi 6 router, up to two mesh extenders, a 10 Gig Fiber Jack, and professional installation for $125 month.


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And 5 Gig will be available in a lot more places as new construction areas are connected to our network and we open sign-ups for service in new neighborhoods. We’ve continued to grow our network within the City of Austin, and we’ve also begun serving customers in several Travis County neighborhoods located just outside of Austin’s city limits. And we’ll be kicking off construction in both Round Rock and West Lake Hills in the coming months.


We also recently announced expansion to Rollingwood, and our team is in conversations with many other surrounding communities about bringing GFiber to their residents and businesses. We’re working to bring better internet to more people across Central Texas, and hope to have more to share soon.


Our investment in the Austin community has continued to deepen as our network has grown. GFiber’s Gigabit Community program, in collaboration with the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA), continues to expand — launching three new communities over the last two years serving hundreds of additional households in need with free gigabit internet, along with devices and digital skills training. This brings the total number of Austin families served by the program to over 1,300. 


Next up is Espero at Rutland, which will support our community's goal to transition our homeless neighbors into long term housing.


Our Community Connections program, which kicked off in 2013, also continues to grow — GFiber now provides gigabit internet to more than 50 local community organizations and institutions in Austin at no cost. Since our last city update, we’ve connected 18 new Community Connections, including: 



As our network reaches new neighborhoods and cities, more organizations become eligible for this program, and we’ll continue to help them meet their internet needs so they can serve their constituencies and their missions.


Along with these two primary programs, Google Fiber continues to work with local organizations to increase access to quality internet and to build digital literacy and STEM skills across Austin. 


Working with Foundation Communities, Google Fiber is providing gigabit internet to those transitioning to permanent housing. Additionally, we’re supporting Community Tech Network’s efforts to get more Austinites enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program, a federal program that provides $30 a month for internet service to those who are eligible.


However, internet access without the ability to navigate the online world won’t get you anywhere. Recent partnerships with amazing local organizations working to ensure everybody has the digital skills they need to thrive include: 



As you can see, we’ve got a lot going on in Austin — and it’s all speeding up (literally!) with 5 Gig coming online now. Additionally, we’ll start testing 20 Gig service in Austin later this year.



If you are looking for how to keep up on what’s happening in your neighborhood, you can sign up for updates here. And follow us on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) to get the latest news from throughout the Central Texas region. 


Posted by John-Michael Cortez, Government & Community Affairs Manager

Kansas City — Google Fiber’s first city — keeps pushing forward

What a year it’s been for Google Fiber in Kansas City! 


On July 26, we celebrated our 11th “launchiversary” of sign ups in KCK and KCMO. I remember that day well, as the first employee in and can’t believe how much we’ve grown over the last decade plus. 


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We started in a few neighborhoods, and now cover a majority of the KC metro area. In the past year alone, we announced expansion Parkville, Liberty, Riverside, and, just yesterday, Independence. This adds to the portfolio of Kansas City communities that benefit from our award-winning internet. 


Kansas City has also been paving the way for Google Fiber’s new multigig products - 5 Gig launched here on Valentine’s Day, making KC customers the first to have access. Additionally, UMKC’s School of Computing and Engineering are field testing 20 Gig speeds (read more about how they are using that to power real-time 3D development and reimagine the power of virtual reality).


Since the very beginning, we’ve worked with local organizations to make an impact across our community.Over the past year, we’ve upgraded service to the WWI Museum and Memorial to help them manage a major KC event (spoiler alert: they decided to keep the 5 Gig) andhelped America’s National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum tell its story and expand its legacy to an even wider audience. ; Our 2022-23 KC Digital Inclusion Fellow, Erika García Reyes of Revolución Educativa, helped nonprofit professionals boost digital equity in our community. 


  • We’ve also worked with many incredible partners on digital equity issues: PCs for People provided laptops for more than 70 residents within the Urban Neighborhood Initiative and our existing Gigabit Communities


  • KU Center for Digital Inclusion, in partnership with UMKC, provided a digital navigator who will hold office hours at public libraries and community centers to help support and build digital literacy skills for women leaving incarceration in the KC metro area 

KU's Center for Digital Inclusion accepts the Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award from the University Economic Development Association

  • Guadalupe Centers Inc.’s Workforce Development efforts and its new Adult Education mobile computer lab which provides devices with internet connectivity, along with basic and intermediate digital literacy training, Grow with Google, and technical support to help clients make full use of digital devices and the internet, as well as ESL classes and job placement. The mobile computer lab will launch this month.


As we enter our 12th year, we will continue to invest in the community and infrastructure of Kansas City. 

Become a Google Fiber supplier

Bringing high quality internet to the masses doesn’t happen without incredible partners. Our team of suppliers provide us with everything from technical operations to on-site catering to marketing services and far beyond. Simply put: We couldn’t do what we do without them.


Is your company interested in becoming a supplier for Google Fiber? 


As our network expands across the country, we continue to look for top-tier suppliers to help us grow. Check out our Supplier Registration page for more information about the kinds of suppliers we work with and how to join their ranks.


Posted by Nolan Klenow, Category Manager

Huntsville City Update: Google Fiber makes moves in Rocket City

Google Fiber  recently opened the doors to a vibrant office space in Huntsville’s MidCity District. Located in the heart of the city, the mixed-use area in Huntsville’s MidCity District is the gateway to some of the world’s largest research and technology hubs, making it an ideal spot for Google Fiber to do business. 


 

The MidCity District is a thriving, eclectic part of Huntsville, and we’re looking forward to being a part of this community. 


As we often do in our offices, we wanted to reflect our local art scene. Huntsville artist, John “Jahni” Moore, painted an original mural titled “Inner Connection” in one of the office’s common areas. 



Jahni’s inspiration and meaning behind this complex work of art:  

“Taking into consideration the miraculous history of the city as “The Space Capital” and leader in technology and research, underscored by diversity, family life, and community collaboration, the MidCity’s culture forward initiative, and Google Fiber’s intent to bridge fast and reliable connectivity between spaces and people, I channeled an imagery that pays homage to this magnificent recipe.” 

 

This isn’t Jahni’s first time working with Google Fiber. A Huntsville native, Jahni’s public work is known throughout the city, including his piece “Space Is Our Place” which was commissioned by Google Fiber. Located at Campus No.  805, this mural was recognized by Parade Magazine as the best mural in Alabama in 2019. When he was approached to consider another Google Fiber piece, Jahni knew he wanted to truly connect to the essence of Huntsville while balancing a creative edge. 

 

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“The mural will serve as a window to the imaginative possibilities wrapped in southern hospitality and ingenuity of industry that is the bedrock of this city,” said Jahni. “The young woman represents unlimited creation in action. She paints with the red line that represents life and the living fiber of connectivity. It travels throughout the piece, even as her shoestrings and finally trailing off into the vast frontier of space.”  


Google Fiber recently announced that we’re looking for organizations in Huntsville to test a 20 Gig service, taking fiber connectivity to the next level. The new office gives our team a great new home to continue to make big things happen in northern Alabama.


Posted by Ryun Jackson, Government & Community Affairs Manager. 




 


Huntsville City Update: Google Fiber makes moves in Rocket City

Google Fiber  recently opened the doors to a vibrant office space in Huntsville’s MidCity District. Located in the heart of the city, the mixed-use area in Huntsville’s MidCity District is the gateway to some of the world’s largest research and technology hubs, making it an ideal spot for Google Fiber to do business. 


 

The MidCity District is a thriving, eclectic part of Huntsville, and we’re looking forward to being a part of this community. 


As we often do in our offices, we wanted to reflect our local art scene. Huntsville artist, John “Jahni” Moore, painted an original mural titled “Inner Connection” in one of the office’s common areas. 



Jahni’s inspiration and meaning behind this complex work of art:  

“Taking into consideration the miraculous history of the city as “The Space Capital” and leader in technology and research, underscored by diversity, family life, and community collaboration, the MidCity’s culture forward initiative, and Google Fiber’s intent to bridge fast and reliable connectivity between spaces and people, I channeled an imagery that pays homage to this magnificent recipe.” 

 

This isn’t Jahni’s first time working with Google Fiber. A Huntsville native, Jahni’s public work is known throughout the city, including his piece “Space Is Our Place” which was commissioned by Google Fiber. Located at Campus No.  805, this mural was recognized by Parade Magazine as the best mural in Alabama in 2019. When he was approached to consider another Google Fiber piece, Jahni knew he wanted to truly connect to the essence of Huntsville while balancing a creative edge. 

 

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“The mural will serve as a window to the imaginative possibilities wrapped in southern hospitality and ingenuity of industry that is the bedrock of this city,” said Jahni. “The young woman represents unlimited creation in action. She paints with the red line that represents life and the living fiber of connectivity. It travels throughout the piece, even as her shoestrings and finally trailing off into the vast frontier of space.”  


Google Fiber recently announced that we’re looking for organizations in Huntsville to test a 20 Gig service, taking fiber connectivity to the next level. The new office gives our team a great new home to continue to make big things happen in northern Alabama.


Posted by Ryun Jackson, Government & Community Affairs Manager.