Google today confirmed that its 1 gigabit Internet service, Google Fiber, is rolling out to Austin, Texas.
Austin is "a mecca for creativity and entrepreneurialism, with thriving artistic and tech communities, as well as the University of Texas and its new medical research hospital," Milo Medin, vice president of Google Fiber, wrote in a blog post.
Google plans to start connecting Austin homes to Google Fiber in mid-2014. Service plans will be similar to the ones offered in Kansas City, the first region to get Google Fiber.
That includes gigabit Internet alone, gigabit Internet plus Google Fiber TV, or free 5 Mbps Internet service for seven years for a one-time installation fee. "We're still working out pricing details, but we expect them to be roughly similar to Kansas City," Medin wrote.
In Kansas City, Google is offering three service packages. The Web-only 1-gigabit-per-second Internet plan is $70 per month. With gigabit + Google Fiber TV, Google promised hundreds of channels and on-demand shows, as well as 2TB of DVR storage and eight tuners, and a new Nexus 7 tablet to serve as a remote control - all for $120 per month. There's also the option for free 5 Mbps Internet if you pay the $300 installation fee.
Google will also connect many public institutions in Austin to Google Fiber for free, like schools, hospitals, and community centers.
"We believe the Internet's next chapter will be built on gigabit speeds, and we hope this new Google Fiber city will inspire communities across America to think about what ultrafast connectivity could mean for them," Medin wrote.
At this point, Google Fiber is only available in Kansas City, and will soon expand to nearby Olathe, Kansas. Google selected Kansas City as its first 1 gigabit Internet city back in 2011 after soliciting bids from cities all over the country.
One of those bids came from Austin, Texas. "If Austin is selected, this program will maximize Austin's potential as a leader in the high-tech industry and spur a wave of innovation for new applications and uses of technology. The program will also offer the city an opportunity to address inequalities in the ability to use technology by bridging the gaps in Austin's broadband network," the Austin City Council said in 2010.
The arrival of 1 gigabit Internet in Kansas City has prompted interest from the tech community, with several entrepreneurs setting up shop there to take advantage of the super-fast Internet. Given that Austin is already considered to be somewhat of a tech hotspot - it hosts the SXSW Interactive conference every year - adding Google Fiber could give its tech community an extra boost.
For more, check out Austin: Tech in the City and A Tech Guide to: Austin.