Google Fiber Optic High-Speed Internet Coming to a Town Near You?

Jacklyn Stickley
Apr.27.2010

What do a Champlain College student, a self-proclaimed "mad scientist," and the governor of Vermont have in common? They have all banded together behind Vermont to compete against thousands of other communities nationwide to become one of the first locales Google chooses to test its state-of-the-art, fiber optic Internet system. As part of the application process, Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA) commissioned Champlain film student, Nick Stefani to create a short video. The video includes testimonials from Governor Jim Davis and other fiber optic advocates from the state.. By the end of 2010, Google will implement new fiber optics systems in the locations of their choosing, bringing 1-gigabyte per second Internet that will run 100 times faster than current broadband to a few lucky communities.

As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was put in charge of constructing the National Broadband Plan in an effort to bring faster Internet to as many people in the U.S. as possible. To coincide with the plan, Google announced its own experiment back in February to provide between 50,000 to 500,000 people with a competitively priced, fiber optics system on a trial basis. The huge Internet corporation describes this experiment on their blog as an opportunity "to experiment and learn," as well as to share their findings with other fiber optic network developers.

Vermont seems to be gearing towards the fiber optics route anyways. Local organizations, such as East-Central Vermont Community Fiber Network (ECFiber), VTA, ValleyFiber, and Vermont Rural Broadband Project have teamed up to plan out a fiber optic wireless system for the entire state. ECFiber is a grassroots organization that has gathered support over the past two years from local municipalities to create locally-owned fiber optics systems. The VTA, created by the state government to bring high speed Internet to all of Vermonters, has partnered with Sovernet Inc. to acquire a $33 million federal broadband grant to install a statewide fiber optics system. Recently, FairPoint Communciations, a wireless supplier out of Charlotte, NC, announced they were switching from their initial plan to create above-ground towers in Vermont to installing a fiber optics wire system instead.

Progress, however, has been slow in implementing these systems, partially due to the economic slump the U.S. fell into back in 2008. ECFiber has struggled with funding after loans fell through, for example. Governor Douglas has been rewarding fiber optic start-up grants here and there to communities for several years now. In October 2009, Vermont received a $69 million federal grant that went to creating Smart Grid technology-- creating more efficient electric utilities, including building a fiber optics system.

Another challenge is the remoteness of many Vermont communities. The question of whether or not it would be financially beneficial to bring the high speed Internet to every Vermonter is legitimate. However, Loredo Sola, ECFiber’s Governing Board Chair, is convinced that it is. “Universal coverage is economically feasible,” he said. “Vermont municipalities can build a self-supporting FTTH (Fiber To The Home) network covering the entire state.”

Competition for this Google opportunity is intense after 1100 communities across the country applied, but Sola believes Vermont stands a chance due in part to its past working relationship with Google. “It is important to note that Google has embraced the fundamental goal of ECFiber, namely to build a financially self supporting FTTH network with universal coverage and open access,” he explained. “We are part of four different Google network applications.”

For now, Vermonters will just have to sit tight until Google makes the big announcement later this year.