In early 2010, Google announced that they would be deploying an experimental fiber optic network in a few communities. The network is expected to enable speeds of up to 1Gbps. That's about 100 times faster than the average connection of today. The Big G had originally planned to announce which community or communities had been chosen by the end of 2010. With the end of the year fast approaching, Google has made a different announcement. Due to the high level of interest, a decision is not expected until early in 2011.

Google recently started up a pre-beta test of the fiber network at Stanford, right down the street from Google. Some have wondered if maybe that small test has proven more challenging than expected, and that may be the real reason for the delay. Google is staying upbeat about the Fiber for Communities initiative, though. We're willing to take them at their word. After all, 1100 towns and cities across the country responded looking for a taste of that sweet, sweet Google fiber. 

Google went out of their way to note that it is not reopening the selection process. They will be making their decision based on the applicants they already have. How do you think this is going to play out?

The deadline has passed for municipalities to apply for the opportunity to get access to Google’s 1Gbps fiber internet. Google said in a blog post, that they have received over 600 responses from around the country.  The process of narrowing down the applicants will take several months at least.
 
Google’s announcement that only five cities would be getting this next generation fiber network sent a number of city councils and mayors into panic mode. Publicity stunts became common place in small towns and cities in the ensuing weeks. The mayor or Duluth, MN jumped into the frozen Lake Superior, and the mayor of Sarasota, FL took a swim in a shark tank.

The program is only open to municipalities with populations between 50,000 and 500,000. Google plans to make site visits as they narrow the list. If people are willing to risk hypothermia and shark bites when Google isn’t in town, we shudder to think what they’ll do when the Big G comes to visit.

Edit: At the end of the day, Google upped the original estimate of 600 to over 1100.