Telecommunications

Google rolls out free gigabit Fiber to public housing properties

Google rolls out free gigabit Fiber to public housing properties
Google has wired up 100 homes in Kansas City's West Bluff with 1,000 Mbps access, and is working to connect up to nine further properties
Google has wired up 100 homes in Kansas City's West Bluff with 1,000 Mbps access, and is working to connect up to nine further properties
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Google has wired up 100 homes in Kansas City's West Bluff with 1,000 Mbps access, and is working to connect up to nine further properties
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Google has wired up 100 homes in Kansas City's West Bluff with 1,000 Mbps access, and is working to connect up to nine further properties

The internet provides a level playing field, by allowing anyone online to take a course or start a business. For it to do so, however, everyone must have access to it. A new Google Fiber initiative will ensure that low-income families in US public housing get that access, via a superfast connection.

Google's 1 Gbps Fiber service was launched as an experimental trial in 2010. It's now available in cities across the US and continues to expand. Last year, the firm partnered with the US government's ConnectHome scheme to help accelerate internet adoption among families in public housing that have school-age children.

Today, Google announced that it will go further, by providing free gigabit internet access to all residents in public housing properties that are connected to Google Fiber. Through local ConnectHome partners, residents will also be able to buy devices at discounted rates, and learn new computer skills.

The program is being launched in Kansas City, which was the first city chosen for Google Fiber rollout proper in 2011. Google says it has worked with the local housing authority to wire up 100 homes in West Bluff with 1,000 Mbps access, and is working with affordable housing providers to connect up to nine further properties housing more than 1,300 families.

The comapny plans to bring gigabit internet access to affordable housing in all of the cities in which its Fiber service operates.

Source: Google

4 comments
4 comments
christopher
LOL. gigabit is for watching movies. If you want poor people to improve their lot, give them 56k - enough to do work, not enough to watch more TV.
rokdun
So, if I understand you correctly, gigabit is for rich people to watch TV, while 56k is for poor people to do work. Don't let those pesky proletarians ruin "our" bandwidth!
And even 56k is a bit much, no? After all, why give them internet access at all? With pen and paper, they could work too.
DexterSchokman
It is a wonderful gesture by Google to provide fair access to the under privileged. Congratulations Google keep up the good work it will lead to a better world and a better Google experience for both the user and the company. Wish Google all success.
notarichman
i'd just like my town to have: cell phone service internet service better than via satellite, whenever it snows or is very cloudy we don't get service at all. and a gas station.