Since Google Fiber launched in Kansas City, Kansas in March 2011, cities across the country have tried to lure in the Internet giant. By offering blazing fast Internet connectivity, it leaves customers throughout the U.S. craving the one-gigabit speeds. This past February, Google invited cities in nine metro areas, 34 cities total, to submit bids for the next Google Fiber expansion.
AT&T quickly followed suit and announced they would bring gigabit fiber optic service to four metropolitan areas: Austin, Dallas, Raleigh-Durham and Winston Salem. Now they have decided it is time to surpass Google by bringing gigabit speeds to 21 other major markets throughout the country. According to AT&T, this would allow 100 different cities to connect to the AT&T fiber optic network.
“We’re delivering advanced services that offer consumers and small businesses the ability to do more, faster, help communities create a new wave of innovation, and encourage economic development,” Lori Lee, senior executive vice president for AT&T Home Solutions, said in a press release. “We’re interested in working with communities that appreciate the value of the most advanced technologies and are willing to encourage investment by offering solid investment cases and policies.”
But the fiber optic showdown apparently has only begun. At the end of April, cable operator Cox Communications threw their hat into the fiber optic ring by announcing it would start delivering gigabit service before the end of the year. Cox hasn’t yet announced which cities where it plans to expand.
“We’re working on our road map now to bring gigabit speeds to customers this year,” Cox CEO Pat Esser said during a Bloomberg TV interview. “Our customers want more speed. Not necessarily a Gigabit, but they want more speed. That’s nothing new. We’ve been increasing speeds. But we want to be able to address a wide cut of customers.”
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