Google Fiber Raises the Bar for Internet Providers

The business of the Internet, where Internet service providers (also known as ISP’s) provide quick and efficient Internet service to their customers, is about to change considerably. The cause? Two words: Google Fiber. The bar is about to be raised for all Internet companies based on the results of this service. Google Fiber is about to change the game of delivering one of the most important new services in the world.

What Is It?

Google Fiber uses fiber-optic communication to provide Internet access. It’s 100 times faster than the current Internet service options and will be about as cheap as the best possible Internet plans from the top ISPs, according to fiber.google.com. The ultra-fast gigabit plan costs $70 per month with no installation fee. Google also offers a slower 5 Mbps Internet plan with no monthly charge for a $300 up-front construction fee, according to Pcmag.com. Google Fiber’s top service vastly outperforms the competition, boasting speeds up to 1,000 Mbps, according to Mashable.com. Compare that to leading Internet provider Verizon Fios, which features speeds up to just 300 Mbps, and it’s easy to see why Google Fiber has made such a splash in the tech world.

Where Is It?

Google Fiber has only launched in a few major cities around the country. Kansas City was the inaugural “Fiberhood,” and it has already received rave reviews for speed and reliability, according to Yahoo.com. Netflix praised the service, as people can watch movies and shows instantaneously, which means watching things in Kansas City is better than anywhere else in the country. The service has been set up in Provo, Utah and Austin, Texas—all very different markets but with large populations. As these test cities embrace Google Fiber, the Mountain View-based search giant will continue to roll out this new technology across the country.

What Does This Do?

If conventional Internet providers aren’t worried about Fiber’s technology, they’re probably worried about its creator. Google has proven through its mobile and social enterprises that it doesn’t dabble in new industries; it takes them on with a full head of steam. Fiber is no different. According to Internetproviders.com, Google Fiber is better and cheaper. That means ISPs like Time Warner, Verizon and all the other major names in the game will have to find a way to compete. As they reverse-engineer Google’s lightning-speed technology, conventional providers could opt to lower their prices. In the same way flat-screen TV prices plummeted in the past five years, Internet costs could tumble as providers compete for second place.

Google Fiber is only under construction in a few cities, but its integration across the country appears imminent. Conventional ISPs beware. There’s a new kid in town, and he’s bigger, faster and richer then you could have dreamed. Your move.

Authored By : Amy Nguyen
Amy is a programmer and lover of EDM. She writes code by day and music reviews by night. Her readers look forward to the technical viewpoints in her reviews.