Sure, Google likes to come out with new products every quarter or so, but most of these products are additions or iterations of online tools it already offers - no surprise, in other words. But the online giant has its fingers in other pies, too - the expansion of Chrome, for example, showed that Google dreams of hardware sheep. But Google Internet? Really? Could Google provide future net connections for the world?
It could be. Long-term plans are nearly at the launch point Google Fiber. The place: Kansas City. The product: fiber optic Internet service packages. The potential: A new era in broadband connectivity.
Google is planning to offer three different packages to Kansas City residents, all through its fiber optic lines, installed throughout the urban area in the past year. One package offers both Internet and cable TV for around $120 a month. Another offers gigabit Internet services for $70 a month.
These are attractive prices for many net users, especially considering that fiber optic lines can beat all competitors by miles when it comes to quality and speed. The third package will have a slower Internet option with an installation fee but not the same monthly rate costs as the other packages.
The 1 gigabit speeds Google is promising (100 times faster than the average broadband) have the potential to be a game changer. Kansas City is only a small testing ground for the product; but if it spreads, the results could be astounding. Packages include Wi-Fi and a terabyte of cloud storage. TV channels offered include MTV, and Comedy Central. Data caps are...well, there are no data caps, and that might be the most important feature of all.
If Google Fiber is a success, the Google Internet model may become the standard for Internet services in America. If the current packages are any indication, that can only be a good thing. Will the other net service providers take the hint?
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