Springfield to join pitch for Google Fiber

Google is on the verge of testing a service that it says will allow film buffs to download a high-definition, full-length movie in less than five minutes. Springfield leaders are hoping city residents will be chosen as guinea pigs.

At Monday night’s Springfield City Council meeting, members unanimously approved a resolution to support the city’s participation in the Google for Fiber Communities project. The resolution allows the city to express its interest in becoming a test community by filling out a Request for Information.

According to its Web site, Google is looking for communities to try an ultra-high-speed broadband network it claims is more than 100 times faster than what the average American can currently access.

“This has cool factor written all over it,” said Ryan DeBoef, attorney at Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP, who spoke in favor of the resolution. “The Internet is kind of like the sports car. It’s not that you really plan to drive at 150 miles an hour, but you really want the one that will go 150 miles an hour.”

Communities that want to be considered for the project must fill out an RFI by March 26. Google hasn’t decided how many communities it will choose as test communities or how much it will charge for the service, but it will offer Fiber to between 50,000 and 500,000 people at a competitive price, according to its Web site. The company will announce the community or communities selected later this year.

According to Springfield City Manager Greg Burris, Google has said it will cover the cost of any infrastructure needed to offer the service.[[In-content Ad]]