Goodbye Kansas City, Hello Austin, Texas. That seems to be the new place to be if you are interested in a blazing fast Internet connection as AT&T has announced plans to deploy fiber in the city that will ultimately provide speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second.
Known as GigaPower, the service will be an extension of AT&T's existing U-verse program. At launch, it will be limited to 300 Mbps on the upstream and downstream which is said to be the fastest available to consumers from any Austin broadband provider.
GigaPower will initially reach tens of thousands of customers throughout Austin and the surrounding areas later this year. Those that sign up for the 300 Mbps service will be upgraded to speeds up to 1 gigabit per second at no extra cost when it becomes available in mid-2014.
Dave Nichols, President of AT&T Texas, said Austin embodies innovation and social consciousness and is the heart of a vibrant, ever-evolving tech culture and entrepreneurial spirit. With their all-fiber U-verse services, they are building the foundation for a new wave of innovation for Austin's consumers, businesses and civic and educational institutions, he said.
And much like Google did with its "fiberhoods," AT&T is asking locals to vote on which neighborhoods should receive the service. This will help the company identify high customer demand and influence which areas get the service first. No word yet on pricing, however.