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Report: Google Fiber Headed to North Carolina

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Those in North Carolina may soon have a new option for internet service: Google Fiber.

The Web giant is reportedly gearing up to launch its super-fast gigabit internet service in Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham as early as next week. According to a report from the Charlotte Observer, Google has already sent out invitations for an event Wednesday evening in Charlotte, promising "more details to come." A separate report from Raleigh's News & Observer indicates Google is planning to hold a similar event in the Raleigh-Durham area.

The news comes almost a year after Google picked Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham as two of the 34 cities where it was considering a rollout of Fiber, which offers Internet speeds up to 100 times faster than today's average broadband. Google was scheduled to make a decision on its next Fiber cities by the end of 2014, but in December, it pushed that announcement until this year.

Google's invite doesn't give too much away, but the list of recipients hints that Fiber is on the horizon. In Charlotte, invitees include City Manger Ron Carlee, County Manager Dena Diorio, and representatives from Charlotte Hearts Gigabit, a nonprofit that supports high-speed Internet deployment in the area.

Google Fiber is already available in Kansas City and some surrounding suburbs, as well as Provo, Utah, and Austin, Texas. Users can shell out $70 for super-fast Web speeds, up to 1,000 Mbps upload and download speeds, and 1TB of Google cloud storage. Those looking for the full Fiber experience can sign up for gigabit-plus-TV service for $130 per month. Subscribers get the same perks listed above, with the addition of 150-plus channels and the ability to record up to eight shows at once.

In June, AT&T announced a deal with Raleigh to bring its super-fast U-verse with GigaPower to residents and businesses in the area. That rollout began in December, according to the News & Observer, though AT&T has since "paused" its gigabit Internet rollout amidst the uncertainty surrounding net neutrality.

If you're dying for super-speedy gigabit Internet, check out the slideshow above to find out where to go.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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