Got Google Fiber envy? Here are three steps to pave the way

The number of communities that wanted Google Fiber proved vastly larger than the number of places -- three -- where Google thus far has actually chosen to build its gigabit broadband network. But for the have-nots out there, Google Access project leader Kevin Lo offered some advice at the Broadband World Forum for attracting Google Fiber or some other ultrafast broadband provider.

It's not about tax breaks, he said, but rather relatively mundane measures that cities and towns can take:

• First, grant new Internet providers access to power poles, ducts, and cable conduits. Once Google has figured out what it needs to use, "We agree to a fair-market price so we can get up to that space," Lo said.
• Second, provide good maps -- not just to locate power poles and conduit channels, but also water mains and gas lines that complicate installations. "We've been surprised how big a problem this is for a lot of our cities," Lo said.
• Last, expedite construction permits. "When we build, we are submitting literally tens of thousands of permits. We work closely with the city to expedite that process. These are the things that have been consuming our teams' time," Lo said.