Alternatives Sought as Towns Await Google’s 1 Gbps Test
Applicants have tempered their optimism about Google’s ultra-fast fiber-to-the-premises project, and many are looking for alternatives, said lawyers who advise municipalities. In February, Google said it would build a 1 Gbps broadband network in one or more cities (CD Feb 11 p1). Nearly 1,100 U.S. communities applied for the testbed program, but for many of them disillusionment has begun to set in, said municipal lawyer Nicholas Miller of Miller & Van Eaton. Google hasn’t changed the terms of the offer, and no one we talked with is contending otherwise.
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"We told our clients there is not a lot of possibility in getting this,” said Miller. “Google said that there would only be one or two [of its pilot] systems implemented. When that word got out, people let out a collective sigh and said, ‘Let’s get on with the rest of our lives.'” None of the communities we surveyed had heard back from Google.
Google plans to announce its target communities “by the end of this year,” said spokesman Dan Martin. “We've identified many communities that we think could be a good fit for our project,” he said. “But the process is ongoing."
Representatives of some communities said they're not holding their breath. “We can’t wait,” said Mayor Gary Resnick of Wilton Manors, Fla. “Our communication needs don’t go away. If we need essential communications networks, we are going to take other steps to pursue them."
Some cities are working with local cable and telecom providers and seeking money to expand their broadband infrastructure. “I think there is a lot of awareness that this is a long shot, so [communities] are certainly pursuing other options,” said CEO Andrew Afflerbach of Columbia Telecommunications, which provided technical consulting to the governments of Washington, D.C., Prince George’s County, Md., and Norwich, Conn.
Elsewhere, communities with economic and budget woes wait patiently for Google to make a decision. “For some cities with limited financial resources, Google was their best and only alternative,” said municipal communications lawyer Brian Grogan of Moss and Barnett, representing some cities that have applied to Google. “They have projects spec'ed out and are considering whether they should seek financing. They are nervous about what happens if they move forward and do make [Google’s] short list."
Despite the chagrin over Google’s project, consultants said the program has made many communities take a closer look at increasing their municipal broadband infrastructure, with or without the Internet company. “It has gotten communities thinking about the benefits of broadband and recognizing the value it can bring to their communities,” said President Joanne Hovis of Columbia Telecommunications. “I see planning processes initiated as a result of Google’s initiative that will continue to bear fruit regardless of whether or not Google selects them.”