What is Google Fiber and how it will change our lives.

For roughly the last year Google has been installing fiber optic equipment and fiber optics throughout Kansas City. Kansas via’d for this project with Google and won some time back.

Google Fiber is Internet Service that is as much as 100 times faster than today’s average Internet speeds. Google Fiber TV uses this super-fast Internet to provide television services as well… television services that are changing the face of how we watch.

How fast is 100 times faster? 

Remember dial up Internet? If you do I’d bet you’d never want to go back to that slow speed. And if you don’t remember think about 100 times faster this way; if you hate buffering or slow file uploads those days are over for Google Fiber customers.

How is Google Fiber installed?

According to the announcement, installation will require a fiber optic line from the street to a client’s home and then a fiber optic jack is installed for the home for a Network Box (it was a little unclear if the construction installer is climbing into the attic or crawl space or basement).  The cost of the construction work is $300 (it’s claimed to raise home values in some cases) yet there are packages that can be ordered whereby the construction fee is essentially waived by signing a 1 or 2 year contract or the $300 is broken into smaller payments of $25 per month until $300 is reached.

What is the Google Fiber Network Box?

The network box is the gateway between inside a customer’s home and the Internet. The network box allows for the 1 gigabyte Internet speed, the speed 100 times faster then what most are experiencing now. Uploads and downloads of video, photos and files will happen at blazing speeds which means no longer waiting several minutes for files to load or the dreaded spinning buffering wheel waiting for videos to load (no matter how many people are online inside your home at the same time).

The Network box also contains Wi-Fi so if a home has Wi-Fi access now it will still have Wi-Fi access yet now double-super charged Internet WiFi access! The Network box also has 4 Ethernet ports on the back so for those with hardwire connectivity of a Home Computer Network their Internet access will jump.

There’s a storage box capable of recording 8 programs simultaneous and has 1 Terabyte of capacity. It also comes with Coax connectivity to utilize a home’s existing coax wiring. The box can store up to 500 hours of HD. (Who has that much time?) As well, personal pictures, videos and the like can be stored.

Each active TV in a client’s home will have a tiny tiny tiny TV set top box about the size of a wallet or smartphone. The box is so small it could be placed behind flat panel TV’s and comes with Blue Tooth built in so you can connect Blue tooth enabled devices. Also the set-top box is a Wi-Fi access point that does extend the range and speed of Wi-Fi access in a client’s home.

What about the Google Fiber TV Remote Control? 

Google Fiber TV thought about everything… even the remote control. With packages comes a Nexus 7 tablet that is used to control the set-top boxes. This is a very smart remote control system because you can preview shows before you change channels, control the channels in other rooms, schedule recording and watch TV on this or any other tablet (Android or iOS).

Summary of Google Fiber

Google not only hit a Home Run but a Grand Slam in Kansas City ! Their price points are well thought out and competitive. Google, as it rolls the service out, will roll out free services to police and fire stations, libraries and schools and hospitals etc. And those residents willing to commit $300 in construction costs can get free Gigabyte Internet (Google hopes they’ll sign up for TV)

The question of how strong will demand be? … What competitors will match? … And how well will Google handle this new business and the demand? … these and other questions will remain unanswered for some time but regardless, this is all a very good thing!

Now, if only Google Fiber could help type 100 times faster (and more accurately) J