You may have heard mention of Google Fiber – or you may already have Google Fiber in your city. But do you know what it is and what role it plays in the areas it serves?

Maybe this information will help!

Google Fiber is an Internet Service Provider that is another option that you can liken to your area’s cable provider or AT&T’s Internet service. The more service choices that are available, the better those services and their prices are for residents and business.

And – as far as businesses go – the benefits of such options are amazing for small business too. Now every size business in Google’s Fiber cities can pick from minimum to maximum speeds ranging from 100 Mbps to 1000 Mbps to enjoy the benefits of “fiber.”

Google Fiber’s entre into Charlotte is a true roll-out – as it has been or will be in any city. The roll-out has only just begun. Charlotte’s Google Fiber launch started on July 12, 2016. Beginning with that day, residents and businesses across the city have embraced the possibilities of high-speed, abundant connectivity. Charlotte is already a hub for business and ingenuity so superfast Internet has the potential to unlock a new chapter of innovation here. Charlotte is the first city to have three plan options for businesses.

Back in 2014, Google launched its Early Access program to bring faster speeds to businesses in its Fiber cities. Since then, inspiration has come from what these businesses have been able to do with abundant connectivity.

• A media company now conducts virtual jam sessions.
• A coffee house now livestreams their community events.
• Many have unlocked new possibilities with speedy, reliable connections.

As with any new pay to play service, it’s necessary to check the address to see if fiber is in the area – and if not – when it will be available – and then sign up for the service at the cost associated with the speed and features desired/required.

What are the benefits of the availability of Google Fiber in a city or region?

No more buffering. It’s the bane of Internet users everywhere. How many times have you been watching a video on YouTube or elsewhere on the Web, only to have the stream freeze up, forcing you to sit there like a chump while you wait for the video to resume?

The price is right. Google is striving to make broadband more affordable, so check out this blog for pricing. An added bonus: This could go a long way toward making broadband service affordable in low-income communities, which, in turn, could help close the digital divide.

Prodding the competition. Google Fiber provides vastly faster Internet service in the U.S. in pricing packages that work for individuals and small and large businesses. This is getting the attention of incumbent providers. The lesson is clear: More competition means better service for users.

Health-care uses. A partnership here could make it possible to develop gigabit medical applications for the future. Imagine seeing your doctor remotely via a high-speed Internet connection.

Education applications. According to the Federal Communications Commission, students with broadband at home have a 7% higher graduation rate. Correlation isn’t causation, but Google Fiber’s basic service could make it possible for families in low-income neighborhoods to afford broadband service for the first time. Studies have shown that students with broadband at home study more, watch less television, and improve their grades.

Schools and universities across the country are experimenting with remote and networked learning. Teachers and lecturers could simulcast their lessons to classrooms across town — or across the country. Students could collaborate on science projects with their peers in other schools. And with the advent of 3D broadcasting, imagine if students could inspect a visualization of the planets orbiting the sun in the solar system, projected right out into their classroom.

Read more details about these benefits.

Innovations continue to be revealed as Google Fiber/ (1-gigabit Internet service) become more and more “available.”

Fifteen years ago, when most people still had slow, dial-up connections, many of the broadband uses we now take for granted would have seemed far-fetched.

• Video-conferencing services like Skype didn’t exist for the average consumer. Now, millions of people use Skype to communicate every day.
• Internet-based streaming services like Netflix didn’t exist. Today, millions of people use Netflix to watch movies and TV shows over the Internet.

Google is laying the foundation for new, gigabit-based applications that haven’t yet been invented.

You may have also heard of Gigabit roll-outs that are happening in cities where Google Fiber is going in. The Gigabit roll-out refers to the network infrastructure that supports the use of the Internet in a city or region – different than Google Fiber which offers a service that would leverage the Gigabit infrastructure.

Sources: CNN.com, Google Fiber Charlotte

To keep up with what is going on with Google Fiber, read the blog.