Google Fiber
Google recently announced that they are planning an experiment to make Internet access "better and faster for everyone." Google will pick one or more communities to build and test a high-speed fiber network. This network will feature speeds of up to and over 1 gigabit. This is much faster than most household internet connections, which typically range from 1 megabit to 15 megabits.Why does this matter?
The average person doesn't really notice the difference between fiber or DSL or cable internet connection. Browsing websites, reading email, or using social networks like Facebook don't require a super high speed connection. On the other hand, there are a few uses that will make a difference. One of those is streaming video. Services like Hulu or Netflix require a high speed connection, and yet even with a high speed connection sometimes we have to wait for the video to buffer, or load. With a super connection like Google's new fiber service, there would not be a need to wait for these streaming video services. This is the direction the TV and movie industry is headed - It's been months since I've rented a movie from somewhere like Blockbuster and soon I believe that all of our television and movies will be delivered over the internet. There's no reason to rely on traditional sources like cable or over-the-air broadcast. We want content now, we want content in HD, and we want choices. The internet provides a delivery channel for those exact needs. A fiber network provides the framework for this to be possible. Watch this quick video about Google's plan:What can I do?
From now until March 26th Google is accepting nominations for your city. After this, Google will decide where they will place this test network. From there all we can do is wait and see how it goes! You can read more about this and nominate your city here:You should follow me on Twitter or subscribe to my blog for the latest information.
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