Google sheds new light on broadband plans

Google has posted an update for its planned high speed fibre broadband network in the United States.

The company said that it would be announcing the targeted market for the first tests of the network by the end of the year. The initial test will cover a total group ranging from 50,000 to 500,000 people.

The project was first announced by Google in February. The company is planning to issue the 1Gbit/s fibre networks in target markets as a way of testing out open broadband networks. In addition to the experimental service, the company is also going to make its broadband cables open to other service providers.

Since the announcement, interest in the project has been high. Google said that some 600 community groups had expressed interest in participating in the project, while more than 190,000 individuals have looked into participating.

Some cities, such as Topeka, Kansas and Rancho Cucamonga, California have jokingly pledged to change their names to "Google, Kansas" and "Rancho Googlemonga" should the company choose their cities for the project.

Going forward, the company said that it will begin visiting perspective sites and speaking with local leaders and community groups before making its final decision later this year.

"This enthusiasm is much bigger than Google and our experimental network," wrote Google product manager James Kelly in a blog posting.

"If one message has come through loud and clear, it's this: people across the country are hungry for better and faster internet access."