Phoenix area under consideration for Google Fiber

PHOENIX — Internet speeds in the Valley could soon get a huge boost, courtesy of Google Fiber.

Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe are currently being considered by Google for its ultra-fast Fiber Internet service. They are among 31 other cities.

“This is the kind of cutting-edge technology that can help lift our entrepreneurs, accelerate economic development, offer new education opportunities and improve the lives of everyone in our community,” said Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton in a press release. “We’re excited for the opportunity to work with Google to deliver faster, more productive Internet service to Phoenix.”

Google said the cities have to pass its checklist before it can add the service.

There are three main items on the checklist:
We’re asking cities to ensure that we, and other providers, can access and lease existing infrastructure. It would be wasteful and disruptive to put up duplicate utility poles or to dig up streets unnecessarily, when we could use existing poles or conduit.

We’re asking cities to provide accurate information about local infrastructure like utility poles, conduit and existing water, gas and electricity lines so we’d know where to efficiently place every foot of fiber.

We’re asking cities to make sure they have permit processes suitable for a project of this scale. Anyone building a large fiber network would need to submit thousands of construction permits — and many cities have small permitting offices that might not be prepared for that volume of paperwork. This will help us build as fast as we can and deliver service to residents as soon as possible.

The Internet giant said there is no timeline for the decision to be made, but it hopes to have answers by the end of the year.

The cities were chosen because they are “led by people who have been working hard to bring faster Internet speeds and the latest technologies to their residents.”

The technology has already been implemented in Kansas City and Provo, Utah. Internet speeds in those cities are now about 100 times faster than basic broadband. It will be in place in Austin, Texas later this year.