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Google expands reach into ultra-fast broadband GOOGLE is to launch itself into yet another business - as a provider of ultra-fast broadband to thousands of homes in the US. The internet search company plans to build experimental, fibre-optic networks delivering speeds of 1 gigabit per second. In a blog post, the company said the networks will let consumers download a high-definition, full-length feature film in less than five minutes and allow rural health clinics to send 3-D medical images over the web. Google, whose domination of internet search and advertising delivers billions of dollars in profits every month, has been seeking ways to expand its influence on the internet. The company plans to offer the service to at least 50,000 customers and potentially up to 500,000 in communities in the US. Google said its network will have open access, meaning users will have a choice of service providers. Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar. End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar. The company promised competitive pricing. Google already has a fibre network which connects its data centres, speeds up search and lowers the cost of streaming video on YouTube. The company believes that faster internet connections will benefit everybody. It will also get more people using the internet, swelling the number of potential customers for Google's search advertising business. Google said it wanted to see what innovations high-speed broadband would encourage. "We want to see what developers and users can do with ultra high-speeds, whether it's creating new bandwidth-intensive 'killer apps' and services, or other uses we can't yet imagine. “Network providers are making real progress to expand and improve high-speed internet access, but there’s still more to be done,” the company said in the blog. “We don’t think we have all the answers - but through our trial, we hope to make a meaningful contribution to the shared goal of delivering faster and better internet for everyone.” Communities which want to become one of the test-bed networks can sign up with Google which will announce the chosen sites later this year. |
