In April, Google announced that it was planning to buy the fiber infrastructure in Provo, Utah. The intention was to bring Google Fiber to the city, but the company hasn’t said much on that front since the initial announcement. That all changed today.
In an update on the Google Fiber blog, the company says it only just recently completed an agreement with Provo to buy the city’s fiber network. Now Google is getting to work on upgrading said network to be “gigabit-ready.” Google is also working with the numerous apartment complexes and condominiums in Provo to make sure they’re all Google Fiber ready.
Once that is all taken care of, Google can start rolling out Google Fiber to the good people of Provo. The current plan is to get some people hooked up to the network before the end of the year, and Google is committed to offering the same packages to Provo residents that it offers to Kansas City residents.
If you need a recap, Google Fiber customers can either sign up for free Internet, just Gigabit Internet or a Gigabit Internet/TV package. The free Internet package is a basic 5 Mbps upstream, 1 Mbps downstream service that will remain free for seven years. The Gigabit Internet package will run you $70 a month, and the Gigabit Internet/TV package will cost $120 a month.
Google notes that all of the above plans will require a $30 construction fee upon choosing which plan you want. If you live in an apartment complex, your landlord will have to pay the fee.
Unique to Provo, Google notes that Veracity customers in single-family homes won’t have to do anything at the moment. They will still continue to receive service. Later this year, Google will send those customers an update about Google Fiber availability, and invite them to sign up for the service.
Oh, and if you can’t wait until the end of the year for Google Fiber, Comcast really hopes that you sign up for their cable package that provides 10 times slower Internet for the same price as Google Fiber’s TV package.
