Google's 2 Gbps fiber Internet service is now widely available in Nashville and Huntsville

[Shawn Knight]

What just happened? Google earlier this year announced it would be testing its new 2 Gig fiber service in Nashville and Huntsville. The beta program seemingly went off without a hitch as Google recently revealed that the service is now widely available in the aforementioned cities.

New and existing customers in Nashville and Huntsville can choose between two plans. The first affords a 1 Gig connection (1 gigabit per second download / 1 gigabit per second upload) for just $70 per month. Those looking to go all out can opt for the full 2 Gig plan (2 gigabits per second download / 1 gigabit per second upload) for $100 per month.

Google product marketing manager Amanda Peterson said the 2 Gig plan comes with a Google Fiber Multi-Gig Router, which is Wi-Fi 6 compatible. You also get a tri-band mesh extender and professional installation.

If you aren’t lucky enough to live in one of these two cities, there still might be hope for a speedy Google Fiber connection. Those interested in the service are invited to sign up for the Google Fiber Tester program for the potential opportunity to try out Google Fiber products and services before they launch.

When Google announced the service earlier this year, it said it hoped to launch across most of their Google Fiber and Google Fiber Webpass cities by early 2021. No update on that timeline was provided in the recent announcement, however, so it’s unclear if that target is still valid.

Masthead credit: ZikG

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https://www.techspot.com/news/87852-google-2-gbps-fiber-internet-service-now-widely.html

 

[Lionvibez]

Curious why the 2 Gig plan only has 1 Gig upload but for $100 that is a great price.

 

[derncricket]

Funny. I live in Huntsville. We never make the news lol. I wonder why they chose us? My apartment has a contract with Comcast so I can't get the service. Nice of them to start with us.

 

[Lionvibez]

Funny. I live in Huntsville. We never make the news lol. I wonder why they chose us? My apartment has a contract with Comcast so I can't get the service. Nice of them to start with us.

Buildings that force all of there tenants in using one ISP because they signed an agreement with them should not be allowed.

 

[Neatfeatguy]

I wonder if this little stint will drop off the edge like Google Fiber did 5/6/7 years ago? It started out well, to my understanding, but ended up hitting a wall and they just stopped.

Hopefully they keep up with this and come through the Twin Cities area so we can get the F away from Comcast. Right now I pay $49.95 a month with Comcast for just internet that's upwards of 70mb/s download and upwards of 6mb/s upload. If I want to dish out $100-150 a month I could get their GB/s download speed....but I hate Comcast and don't want to give them anymore money than I already am.

 

[p51d007]

This is getting to the point of how fast is fast enough? Good lord! Other than business & data centers, what would you "need" 2GB speed?

 

[Gmachine]

Curious why the 2 Gig plan only has 1 Gig upload but for $100 that is a great price.

I'm also curious about this as well. Truth be told it's just my assumption. I think it has something to do with the GPON standard. It might be they are using XG-PON which is 10Gbps down/2.5Gpbs up implementation or the NG-PON2 implementation.

Of course I don't have any proof in what I speculate, but perhaps they modulate the wavelength in the manner that the upload is always sufficient when ever the client needs it. For instance seeing upload speeds closer to 1Gig than you would 2Gig.

And with 2.5Gbase-T becoming common in motherboards, they are taking that approach rather than the 10Gig option for now.

Again my 1 cents

 

[moon982]

I wonder if this little stint will drop off the edge like Google Fiber did 5/6/7 years ago? It started out well, to my understanding, but ended up hitting a wall and they just stopped.

Hopefully they keep up with this and come through the Twin Cities area so we can get the F away from Comcast. Right now I pay $49.95 a month with Comcast for just internet that's upwards of 70mb/s download and upwards of 6mb/s upload. If I want to dish out $100-150 a month I could get their GB/s download speed....but I hate Comcast and don't want to give them anymore money than I already am.

There are more companies than Comcast.

 

[Axiarus]

There are more companies than Comcast.

Some people are stuck with one company. Sure, they may have more options...that suck even worse.

 

[Endymio]

I think it has something to do with the GPON standard. It might be they are using XG-PON which is 10Gbps down/2.5Gpbs up implementation or the NG-PON2 implementation.

I believe Google is using Super-PON for these markets, which is a standard they essentially created themselves. And, like NG-PON2 or any standard that has time division multiplexing, the provider has the option to allocate bandwidth asymmetrically: more for download than upload.

 

[Gmachine]

I believe Google is using Super-PON for these markets, which is a standard they essentially created themselves. And, like NG-PON2 or any standard that has time division multiplexing, the provider has the option to allocate bandwidth asymmetrically: more for download than upload.

Yeah, I remember when they started the project of building the network, they used WDM-PON and preferred it as apposed to using GPON. This allowed them to offer relatively superior performance and the contention as well was better than the GPON one.

 

[dangh]

This is getting to the point of how fast is fast enough? Good lord! Other than business & data centers, what would you "need" 2GB speed?

Anyone with a decent nas wanting to share pictures and movies with family and friends without having to use social media, and still being able to use own internet without a hitch.

 

[netman]

The consumer rip-off schemes of internet service providers (ISP) such as Google, Comcast, AT&T etc., should stop completely...! It is time for unit internet with lots of options...! Not everyone needs 1 or 2 Gbps download. Speed is not of importance any longer, the Data allocation is...! I am certain the above Google plans have unlimited data, but most internet users have data limitations set for them by ISPs, and if they go over they charge with over-usage...!

 

[Latiron]

I wonder if this little stint will drop off the edge like Google Fiber did 5/6/7 years ago? It started out well, to my understanding, but ended up hitting a wall and they just stopped.

Hopefully they keep up with this and come through the Twin Cities area so we can get the F away from Comcast. Right now I pay $49.95 a month with Comcast for just internet that's upwards of 70mb/s download and upwards of 6mb/s upload. If I want to dish out $100-150 a month I could get their GB/s download speed....but I hate Comcast and don't want to give them anymore money than I already am.

Just keep quiet! I'd love to pay $50 for 70mbps down. Best I can get now is $114/mo for 30mbps dn/10mbps up. So, while you city whiners moan and groan about what you pay for what you get, we simple country folk have zero empathy or sympathy for your whining!