San Antonio To Work With Google Fiber To Explore Bringing City Residents Ultra High-Speed Internet Access

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SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro announced that San Antonio is on a short list of cities working with Google to explore the possibility of bringing the ultra high-speed Google Fiber broadband network to the city. Today's average American broadband speed is 9.8 Megabits per second. In contrast, Google Fiber could bring San Antonio residents access to "Gigabit" Internet connections up to 1,000 Megabits per second—or up to 100 times faster than basic broadband.

Improving broadband speed and choice for our residents has been a priority for San Antonio for years. In 2010, San Antonio was one of more than 1,100 American cities that applied to be considered for deployment of Google Fiber.

"San Antonians deserve faster Internet speeds and better broadband access," Mayor Castro said. "We're working hard to make that happen – and I'm confident that we will accomplish our goal."

Gigabit networks are not just about meeting today's speed needs. The next 100x leap in broadband speeds – to gigabit Internet – will lead to innovation that's unimaginable today, just as the shift from dial-up to broadband did.

"Communities with abundant high-speed Internet grow stronger because there's greater potential to create jobs, drive economic growth, and help students and families get access to essential resources," said Kevin Lo, General Manager for Google Fiber. "City leaders like Mayor Castro are stepping up to see what they can do to make their cities ready for the fiber-optic networks that are the future. We look forward to working with San Antonio in the coming months to see if we can build the next chapter of the Internet together, on gigabit speeds."

The City of San Antonio is looking forward to maximizing the deployment of higher speed Internet access into new economic development opportunities.

"The implications of fiber to the home are widespread and will have a significant impact on the residents of San Antonio," said San Antonio City Manager Sheryl Sculley. "Ultra high-speed Internet is paving the way for the next revolution of Internet-based applications and business models and will enhance our ability to compete on the world stage."

Google will now work closely with Mayor Castro and City leaders on a joint planning process to explore what it would take to build a brand new fiber-optic network capable of delivering these gigabit speeds throughout San Antonio. Google will begin compiling a detailed study of local factors that might affect construction plans. Simultaneously, Mayor Castro and City leaders will begin meetings with Google to discuss what it would take to plan and prepare the city for a fiber project of this scale.

Google will provide an update on which cities will get Google Fiber by the end of this year. Google Fiber is an Internet and TV service that provides Internet connectivity that is up to 100x faster than the basic broadband, along with hundreds of HD TV channels. Google Fiber is currently available in Kansas City, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri and Provo Utah, and will be available in Austin, Texas later this year. http://googlefiberblog.blogspot.com/.

A Model City for all America: San Antonio

San Antonio is a model city for the new face of America—a diverse, progressive and globally competitive city with a solid vision for national and international economic development. In 2012, San Antonio was named an All-America City by the National Civic League.  The City of San Antonio maintains a strong financial position with a "AAA" general obligation bond rating from all three major rating agencies.  The Milken Institute has ranked San Antonio No. 1 on its Best-Performing Cities list.  As the seventh-largest city in the United States, San Antonio is experiencing solid economic growth in 21^st century industries such as bioscience and healthcare.  Biotech companies and healthcare systems in San Antonio contribute billions to the local economy. The Aerospace industry remains a dominant economic strength in San Antonio with the presence of several aviation and aerospace corporations, including the military. The military has had a significant relationship with San Antonio for more than 200 years and is home to several military commands.  The city is also a cybersecurity hub; nationally recognized as a leader in the field of information security.  San Antonio is positioning itself to be at the forefront of the New Energy Economy in the United States, committed to investing and creating employment opportunities in green industries.  The travel industry also remains a consistent growing economy for the city, as millions of people visit San Antonio on a yearly basis.  For more information, visit www.sanantonio.gov. 

SOURCE City of San Antonio