Google Broadband on the Way

Google has already pushed itself into nearly every other aspect of the Internet–search, email, maps, browser, mobile, social networking–so it isn’t surprising to see that it’s next move is to provide the access itself. Google announced today that it plans to offer ultra high-speed Internet. The company will build a fiber optics network in several markets and offer access to approximately 50,000 to 500,000 customers. Under Google’s plan, customers will buy access directly from Google or via authorized resellers.

So just how competitive will Google’s product be? The company plans to offer speeds of up to 1 Gbps. According to the Wall Street Journal, this is 100 times faster than the average consumer is accustomed to.

Google is using the service to showcase what the Internet is capable of–perhaps to get other providers to step up their games. Google doesn’t plan to offer the network on a nationwide basis. Google product manager Minnie Ingersoll said: “We have been advocating that the FCC set up an experimental testbed and this is our way of putting our money where our mouth is.”

Google will announce which cities that it has selected later this year. There’s no word on how much its service will cost consumers outside of the ever-vague “competitive price”. [via WSJ] [Photo: Carlos Luna]