3.2
5.0
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is an that is seeking to disrupt the industry with its use of -optic cables that provide quick speeds and high-quality streaming.
Google Fiber provides various internet speeds up to 1 Gbps. It requires a one-year contract and has reasonable prices starting at $50 per month.
While Google Fiber internet speeds are 100 times faster than most internet providers, its full services are currently only available in eleven cities and regions in the United States. In 2016, Google paused all plans for expansion of Google Fiber, but customers can still access Fiber internet if it's already available where they live.
Google Fiber provides internet, television, and phone services through a network of fiber-optic cables. A system which, according to Google, delivers internet speeds that are more than 100 times faster than what most internet service providers can offer.
Creating a fiber-optic network was a time-consuming process. Before a new city could be considered eligible for Google Fiber internet services, company representatives would meet with city officials to review the city's infrastructure, roads, and utility paths. If the city was a good fit, Google Fiber's team would create a network design, often involving thousands of miles of fiber-optic cables, that was compatible with the city's existing utility map.
After the network is installed, Google Fiber reaches out to small, concentrated communities (or "Fiberhoods") in the city to promote its services. Each new Fiber customer is offered a free standard internet plan, which includes 5 Mbps download speed and 1 Mbps upload speed.
While speeds on the free plan are not faster than those offered by other internet service providers, they are free, which is almost unheard of in this industry. After signing up, Fiber customers are guaranteed at least seven years of free internet at one address.
In addition to Google Fiber's free plan, customers have the option to pay for upgraded plans, including gigabit internet, for both residences and small businesses.
Here are the residential plans:
The small business packages are even more straightforward:
Customers can sometimes add phone services for an additional $10 per month, as well as Nest products — thermostats, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and security cameras — for an additional charge (only available on paid plans).
Gaining access to Google Fiber internet service in your area can prove challenging. According to Google Fiber's site, here are the eleven cities and regions that have access to Fiber's full high speed internet service:
And here are the seven cities where only apartment and condo service is available:
One way to determine if you're eligible is to enter your address into the Check Eligibility section of Google Fiber's website. Unfortunately, customers in rural areas and less populated regions will likely never have access to Google Fiber service.
Many customers complained that high speed internet installation was a lengthy process. As mentioned before, this process involved installing a fiber network comprised of thousands of miles of fiber optic cable, and fully optimizing a city for Google Fiber took several months, if not years.
Since Google Fiber is already fixed and installed in its select locations, and cancelled in remaining locations, negative reviews regarding infrastructural installation time probably won't apply to you.
It's also important to note that, while Google Fiber is one of the only service providers to offer a basic internet package for free. Per a third-party speed test, the internet speeds accompanying the free package and network box are no better than the standard internet speed of any other provider. The limited bandwidth of the free plan can be easily overwhelmed by multiple devices such as computers, smartphones, and tablets.
Some negative reviews describe the free plan and complain of slow and unreliable upload and download speed; keep in mind that these experiences may be the fault of the reviewer for selecting a free plan if they had an option to purchase a package.
If this internet provider is available in your area and you opt for the free plan, don't expect amazingly fast internet.
As an ISP, Google Fiber provides impressive packages at competitive prices, and the potential for a free plan is a generous perk. But while Google Fiber is providing internet speeds up to 100 times faster than the competition, its expansion and installation processes were considerably slower than the competition.
In general, Google Fiber strives for quality customer service and generous policies. You might be impressed by what Fiber has to offer, but you might be deterred by Fiber's announcement to pause expansion — could this mean future cancellation in existing cities?
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