Innovation

Superfast Internet, delivered faster than lightning at one gigabit per second. Pittsburgh wants it, but it's up to us to close the deal.

The City of Pittsburgh, in cooperation with local universities, is in hot pursuit of a unique Google test project that will deliver the fastest fiber optic network available to select communities in America--but only to communities who really, really want it. The Google Fiber for Communities will connect with 50,000 to 500,000 people in the country at speeds more than 100 times faster than what most of us have today.

Want to download a DVD that might normally take an hour? Do it in a minute.

"We believe (Google) wants to make sure that if they build it, we will come," says Philip Lehman of the Carnegie Mellon Dept. of Computer Sciences. "We're a terrific application lab for this. We're a city that is willing to clear the obstacles out of the way and get behind it. "

To support the project, go to www.pittsburghgoesgoogle.com or Google's formal response site and nominate Pittsburgh, but hurry. The response deadline is March 26. According to the terms of the deal, the city and Google will install and operate the networks; users would be charged competitive rates for Internet service.

"It's an amazing opportunity for Pittsburgh," chimes in Lenore Blum of Carnegie Mellon's Project Olympus. "If we can push it through and get the increased bandwidth, people will be amazed. Hopefully, everyone will rally around it!"

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Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Philip Lehman and Lenore Blue, Carnegie Mellon; City of Pittsburgh, Joanna Doven

Logo courtesy of Google