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Google Fiber is a major change agent in the computing world. The service, which rolled out in Kansas City first but now has plans to head to Austin, Texas, and Provo, Utah, is arguably one of the most exciting developments coming out of the search giant.
It is essentially the top-of-the-line Internet service in the United States. And although it’s only available in a few places, Google Fiber has the capability of turning the entire industry on its head.
The trouble for Google, however, is that the vast majority of people around the country don’t understand just how much value Fiber brings. What’s worse, the search giant doesn’t go out of its way to express its desire to bring Fiber to more markets around the States. As a result, Google has largely stayed under the radar with its fiber service. And the average consumer doesn’t know much about it.
But that’s a shame. The fact is, Google Fiber is extremely important and matters greatly in the grand scheme of things. The technology is, quite simply, the future. And it’s about time the service is acknowledged as that.
Read on to find out why Google Fiber matters, and why it will matter even more in your life once it’s available in your area.
1. It’s Google, folks
Whenever Google enters a marketplace, it matters. The search giant is one of the most important companies in the entire industry, and its presence is felt in any marketplace it enters. Now that Google is taking aim at cable companies, those companies should watch out.
2. Gigabit broadband, anyone?
The special thing about Google Fiber is that it comes with Gigabit Internet service. What that means is that the download speeds it offers are, oh, about 100 times greater than what the average person in the U.S. gets right now. Not bad.
3. It includes TV service
Television service is another key ingredient that shouldn’t be overlooked. Google has realized that to be competitive, it needs to do more than just offer Web service. Its TV services make the company’s solution far more well-rounded than it would have been with only a Web offering.
4. It’s not just in Kansas City
Google Fiber may have launched in Kansas City, but the service is slowly but surely expanding into other areas. Google Fiber is on its way to Texas and Utah, and the search giant has grand plans of rolling it out across the entire country. Watch out, competitors: Google is coming.
Google Fiber Matters: 10 Reasons Why
5. It puts consumers on notice
Consumers are now on notice: Stick with the same old service you’ve grown accustomed to or get something truly special. The trouble for most consumers is that in the vast majority of cases, Google Fiber isn’t available yet. But it will be. And once it is, many of those customers will likely opt to buy into Google’s offering.
6. It’s intriguing to corporate users
Corporate users are especially intrigued by Google Fiber. The prospect of high-powered broadband with extremely fast upload speeds is something that the enterprise has been seeking for years. And it’s clear now that Google Fiber can deliver it. Expect the enterprise to drive Google Fiber integration.
7. Cable companies can’t stand it
Cable companies can’t stand Google Fiber. And that alone makes it worth knowing about. That the chief competitors to Google Fiber have found nothing good about the service is a telltale sign that we should pay attention to it—and ignore the competitive misgivings.
8. Municipalities are dying to have it
One of the key reasons Google Fiber is growing so quickly in terms of its market appeal is that municipalities across the United States are dying to get their hands on it. In fact, those municipalities are lining up, all with the hope of deploying Fiber to their voters. And why not? It could make it easier to be re-elected.
9. It integrates Google services
Google has also made the smart decision to bundle its many core services with Fiber. So users will find ample storage through Google Drive. Better yet, the company is making its services available to corporate customers, including Google Docs. Google’s integration strategy is hugely important.
10. It’s catching the U.S. up to the rest of the world
One of the biggest problems with surfing the Web in the United States is that it’s slow compared with many other developed countries. With Google Fiber, the country is finally catching up to the rest of the world. And we’re all benefiting from that.