Google Experimental Fiber Network: Welcome to Dayton
Author: Ann Gallaher, Technology First
April 2010
Imagine sitting in a rural health clinic, streaming three-dimensional medical imaging over the web and discussing a unique condition with a specialist in New York. Or downloading a high-definition, full-length feature film in less than five minutes. Or collaborating with classmates around the world while watching live 3-D video of a university lecture. Universal, ultra high-speed Internet access will make all this and more possible.
On February 10th, Google opened the flood gates to the nation in a dual effort to identify a worthy location for their experimental high speed network and to help influence the National Broadband Plan. It is reported that their efforts to draw national attention to the interest in and need for high speed networks has worked and attracted responses from over 1,100 communities across the country to include Dayton, Ohio.
The carrot at the end of this stick is an ultra high speed network at more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today with 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. They plan to offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.
You can understand why communities are clamoring for this kind of infrastructure investment and would welcome Google’s test-bed trial on the promise of jobs, data centers, and their 15 minutes of technology fame. Responses have been collected and they plan to announce their target community (ies) later this year.
The Dayton region used the tagline – average and awesome – based on the fact that our demographic statistics match national averages in educational attainment, income, occupation, and age. Why not trial your network here and see how the rest of the nation would react and adapt? We are awesome in more ways than can be mentioned here and I wouldn’t want to forget to mention somebody.
For now, you can visit the Dayton-led effort at www.averageandawesome.com to vote and view the video invitations from community groups and residents. Makes you proud to call Dayton home.
