Is Google Fiber Coming to a City Near You? It Just Might Be

In March 2010, Google Fiber burst onto the Internet provider scene, offering cities the promise of high-speed broadband service. That promise, however, became an increasingly complicated proposition that eventually forced the company to pause expansion efforts in 2016. When Google Fiber first launched, it offered cities Internet that reached speeds up to 1 gigabit per second. To put this into perspective, the average household in the US has an Internet connection of just under 20 megabits per second (Mbps), according to Lifewire. Typical high-speed service ranges between 25 and 75 Mbps. In 2020, Google Fiber announced it was back in the Internet service game and working with city officials from West Des Moines (IA). The company's coverage areas span the US in a range of different states and regions. As for other things coming down the pipeline, Mark Strama, Google's general manager for expansion markets, said the company's short-term goals include continuously improving high-speed Internet and service quality standards and building a scalable deployment model to create and sustain a financially viable business. Meanwhile, long-term goals involve bringing Google Fiber to more communities and inspiring the industry to achieve similar goals.