As a kid, I loved my local library. I used to walk in those doors and pause, amazed that so many books and resources were available and free. That sense of appreciation has stuck with me over the years. Local libraries, schools, community centers and nonprofits are critical resource hubs that help keep neighborhoods strong — and that’s why we’re hooking up some of these community sites in Kansas City, Austin and Provo with Gigabit Internet connectivity.
These “Community Connections” sites have already been selected in Kansas City (Kan. and Mo.), where hundreds of nonprofits, schools and government buildings will get a free Gigabit Internet connection for a maximum of ten years. And, starting this week, interested sites in Austin and Provo can apply to receive a Community Connection — both local governments are currently taking applications and will ultimately choose who gets connected.
If you’re an Austin nonprofit or public organization, the Austin city government is accepting applications for potential local Community Connections now through September 30 (apply in the “Digital Inclusion” section of the AustinTexas.gov website). If you’re a Provo nonprofit or public organization, you can learn more about your local Community Connections program in the “Current News” section of Provo's website. Today is the first day to submit applications and the deadline is October 10.
For more information about Community Connections — including technical info and FAQs about the gig hookup for site representatives — you can visit our brand new Community Connections website.
Posted by Dov Zimring, Product Manager, Google Fiber

We’re starting the week with a double dose of good news. Tonight, the City Councils in Mission Hills, Kan. and Fairway, Kan. just approved Google Fiber for their cities. We’ll start planning our network in these new cities ASAP and we’ll make another announcement once we’re ready to start customer signups. To stay up-to-date on Fiber and when it will be coming to your area, enter your address on our site, then sign up for email updates.
Posted by Rachel Hack, Google Fiber Community Manager

The color of the leaves won’t be the only thing changing in Kansas City this autumn. Forty-four more fiberhoods, across both Kansas and Missouri, will have the chance to experience instant downloads and crystal clear HDTV. If you live in one of the fiberhoods listed below, visit our website now to choose your plan.
Wyandotte Center - Thursday, October 3
Royal Gardens - Thursday, October 3
West Height - Thursday, October 3
Turner Diagonal - Thursday, October 3
Sumner - Thursday, October 3
Watchtower - Thursday, October 3
Coronado - Thursday, October 3
Banneker - Thursday, October 3
Frances Willard - Thursday, October 3
Eugene Ware - Thursday, October 3

N 55th - Thursday, October 10
Edison School - Thursday, October 10
Beacon Hills - Thursday, October 10
Emerson - Thursday, October 10
Linden Hills - Thursday, October 10
West Side North - Thursday, October 10
North Town Fork Crk - Thursday, October 10
Southmoreland North - Thursday, October 10
Westport - Thursday, October 10
West Side South - Thursday, October 10

Willow Creek North - Thursday, October 17
City Park - Thursday, October 17
Prescott Park - Thursday, October 17
Woodland - Thursday, October 17
Mt Hope - Thursday, October 17
Caruthers - Thursday, October 17
Kensington - Thursday, October 17
Klamm Park - Thursday, October 17
Santa Fe - Thursday, October 17
County 5 - Thursday, October 17
Center City - Thursday, October 17
Wendell Phillips - Thursday, October 17

Mount Cleveland - Thursday, October 24
Tri-Blenheim - Thursday, October 24
Citadel - Thursday, October 24
Key Coalition North - Thursday, October 24
Indian Mound West - Thursday, October 24
Budd Park - Thursday, October 24
South Town Fork Crk - Thursday, October 24
Splitlog Park - Thursday, October 24
Memorial Park - Thursday, October 24
Key Coalition South - Thursday, October 24
Lincoln Prep - Thursday, October 24
Parkview - Thursday, October 24

Posted by Rachel Hack, Google Fiber Community Manager

The Roeland Park City Council just voted to bring Google Fiber to their citizens. While we don’t have an ETA for when we’ll be able to start installations (we still have to plan our network and then build it), we’re thrilled to be coming to Roeland Park in the future. If you live in Roeland Park, you can enter your address on our site, then sign up for email updates.

View Kansas City Areas Eligible for Google Fiber in a larger map
Posted by Rachel Hack, Google Fiber Community Manager

Merriam, Kansas just became the newest Google Fiber city, following a vote at tonight’s city council meeting. We want to hook up Merriam residents as soon as possible, but we still need to plan our network and start construction before we can start installations. We’ll let you know when we’re ready to open signups here on our blog and via social media.
Posted by Rachel Hack, Google Fiber Community Manager

Tonight, the Leawood, Kansas City Council voted to become the 14th Kansas City-area community to bring Google Fiber to their residents. We look forward to bringing service to Leawood, but there’s quite a bit of planning and construction work to do before we can actually start hooking up homes. As soon as we have more information about signups and installations in Leawood, we’ll post it here
Posted by Rachel Hack, Google Fiber Community Manager

In July, we completed our agreement with the City of Provo, and we’re working hard to hit our goal of getting our first Google Fiber customers hooked up before the end of the year. Between now and October we’re focusing on a couple of key areas of work.
First — and many might argue, most importantly — we’re working to upgrade the existing fiber network in Provo to be Gigabit-ready. Secondly, we’re spending a lot of time talking with property managers and owners of large apartment building and condominiums. Planning for and installing Google Fiber in these big buildings takes a lot of time, so if you manage a building with 5 or more units, we’d love to start chatting with you now — please get in touch with us!
We also have new information for you on how much Google Fiber will cost in Provo. When we start sign-ups, all customers will be able to choose from one of three plans:

• Free Internet. Get today’s basic broadband speeds (up to 5 Mbps download, 1 Mbps upload) for free for at least the next seven years.
• Gigabit Internet. Connect to the web at speeds up to 100 times faster than basic broadband (up to 1 Gbps download and upload) for $70/month.
• Gigabit Internet + TV. Get 100 times faster Internet plus hundreds of HD channels. Record up to 8 shows at once and store up to 500 hours of HD content on your Storage Box for $120/month.

Each of these plans will require a one-time $30 construction fee which you’ll pay when you choose your plan (for single family homes) or your landlord will pay after they sign an agreement with us to wire up your apartment/condo.
For current Veracity customers in single-family homes — we want you to know that nothing changes for you yet. You can continue to use your service as you do today. Later this year, you’ll have the option of becoming a Google Fiber customer and the option to sign up for any of the services listed above.
To stay up to date on any new developments, you can sign up for our Provo email list on our website.
Thanks for all of the interest; we’ll talk more in the fall!
Posted by Michael Slinger, Director of Business Operations, Google Fiber

If you’re looking for a specific movie or TV show to watch tonight, chances are increasingly good that you’ll be able to find it using your Google Fiber TV service.
Yesterday, we launched VUDU right on our Fiber TV Box. VUDU is an on-demand video service that subscribers can use to rent or purchase movies and TV shows — and combined with Netflix and our Google Fiber Video on Demand Library, Google Fiber customers now have access to one of the largest on-demand collections of movies and TV Shows. You can access all of this great content under the “More tab on our TV menu.
We’re also updating the Google Fiber mobile app to support VUDU — now it will be easier than ever to search for, discover and watch thousands of movies and shows on your Android or iPhone.
Posted by Sarthak Ray, Google Fiber Product Manager

This morning, the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, on behalf of several local funders including Google Fiber and the Sprint Foundation, announced a brand-new fund aimed at closing the digital divide here in Kansas City. The Kansas City Digital Inclusion Fund will support local nonprofits and community organizations that will help Kansas City residents learn about and take full advantage of the web.

We’re proud to be one of many local supporters of this first-of-its-kind grant program in Kansas City. As we’ve worked throughout the community, we’ve heard some incredible ideas from nonprofits and leaders who want to do amazing things to increase digital literacy in KC. We’ve also heard from them that they need more resources (funding, computers, staffers, etc.) to execute and scale their work.
Now, these community groups can apply for grants to fund their work to help Kansas Citians get online; get access to more affordable computers; learn how to apply for jobs; teach kids how to do research on the web; teach classes on how to compare health care options online and much more. We know Kansas City nonprofits have what it takes to make a big impact, and we can’t wait to see what projects they come up with.
If you’re a local nonprofit, you can apply now, or attend one of the upcoming informational sessions (listed below). Grant applications are due before 5 p.m. CST on September 27, and recipients will be announced in early November.

Wednesday, August 28, from 1 to 2 p.m. at Kansas City Public Library - Plaza Branch, RSVP here

Thursday, September 12, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Community Foundation’s downtown office, RSVP here

Posted by Erica Swanson, Digital Inclusion Program Manager

Tonight, the Prairie Village, Kansas City Council voted to bring Fiber to their city. Prairie Village residents have been asking for Fiber for awhile, and we can’t wait to bring it to them in the future; as soon as we have more information about timing, we’ll post it right here.
Posted by Rachel Hack, Google Fiber Community Manager