It’s been nearly a year since Google announced plans to expand its Google Fiber broadband and pay-TV service to new markets around the U.S., but the company has yet to say which of the 34 eligible cities would be the next to benefit from much-needed competition, but there are some indicators that folks in North Carolina may be getting on the Google fiberwagon.
According to DSLreports.com, invites have been sent out to Charlotte city officials and various groups for some sort of Google-related reception next Wednesday, Jan. 28.
A couple hours away in Raleigh, there will apparently be a simultaneous event also involving Google, followed the next day by one in nearby Durham.
Charlotte, and multiple towns in the Raleigh-Durham area — including Cary and Chapel Hill — were on the list of Google Fiber hopefuls announced in early 2014.
One group invited to the Google event tells DSLreports that “There was no agenda or topic listed, and the location details were ‘to follow’,” adding that the RSVP form just asked for basic contact info and whether or not you were a city official.
It’s possible these may just be parties to celebrate how much fun Google is, or maybe the company is bringing some other new business to the area, though that would make more sense if it was just relegated to either Charlotte or Raleigh-Durham; the inclusion of both metro areas seems to indicate news of some import.
Broadband service for both metro areas is currently dominated by Time Warner Cable, which presumably would pass to Comcast if that merger is ultimately approved.
TWC was instrumental in backing a 2011 state law that put heavy restrictions on cities looking to provide broadband services that compete with existing providers.
In July, one city whose broadband service was grandfathered in petitioned the FCC for the ability to offer its service outside of its home municipality to other towns and cities that request it, much like it provides electricity to multiple neighboring communities.
The FCC is currently mulling over whether it has the authority to override state laws restricting municipal broadband, and whether it should use that authority to do so.
Let’s just hope the mere rumor of Google Fiber will improve service for TWC customers, as it’s done for Cox broadband subscribers in Phoenix, one of the other possible places Google Fiber might go next.
Similarly, shortly after Google began its expansion of Fiber to include Austin, TX — and right around the time that Comcast and TWC announced their merger plans, TWC suddenly decided to upgrade the broadband of subscribers in that tech-friendly city.
by Chris Morran via Consumerist