Google Fiber expands in Iowa, launches 8-Gbps services in Arizona
Google Fiber has announced a pair of milestones. The company says it has received approval from the city council of Council Bluffs, IA, for a license agreement that will enable the company to deploy fiber to the home (FTTH) in that city. The fiber broadband service provider also revealed that it now offers an 8-Gbps broadband tier in Mesa, AZ.
Council Bluffs will become the third Iowa city in which Google Fiber will operate, joining West Des Moines and Des Moines. The community is also adjacent to Omaha, NE, where Google Fiber announced plans to provide services last September (see "Google Fiber expresses interest in Omaha, faster than 10G services"). Google also operates a data center in Council Bluffs.
Meanwhile, Google Fiber says it will debut an 8-Gbps service tier in the Westwood neighborhood of Mesa, AZ. The symmetrical service will be available for $150 per month. Google Fiber also will offer symmetrical 1 Gbps service for $70 a month, 2 Gbps for $100 a month, and 5 Gbps for $125 a month. Business customers will have the option of Business 2 Gig for $250 per month or Business 1 Gig for $100 per month.
Google Fiber revealed plans for both 5-Gbps and 8-Gbps services last October (see "Google Fiber announces plans for 5-Gbps and 8-Gbps broadband plans").
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.