It’s almost time to open the firehose and let gigabit Internet flow to the “Silicon Slopes” — starting today, several thousand Provo residents (residential customers of the local Veracity Networks) can start signing up for Google Fiber. Sign-ups for the rest of Provo residents will open in January.
This sign-up process is different (and faster) in Provo than in Kansas City and Austin because our construction process is different. In KC and Austin, we need to install thousands of miles of brand new fiber-optic cables, which requires many months of planning, engineering and construction before we can open sign-ups and bring service to customers. Here in Provo, we purchased the iProvo network from the City of Provo, so a lot of this network already exists — we just needed to upgrade it to make it faster.
Veracity customers get the first crack at signing up for Fiber service — they’re already hooked up to our newly-upgraded fiber because they’ve been connected to the former iProvo network, so it will be efficient and quick to install Google Fiber for any of them who want to switch providers. This “first chance” opportunity is only for Veracity residential customers right now; other Provo residents and local small businesses can go to our website and sign-up to be notified when Fiber is coming to their area.
If you’re a Veracity residential customer, this means you’re eligible for Google Fiber service, including an Internet connection that’s up to 100 times faster than basic broadband. All you have to do is go to google.com/fiber/provo, enter your address, and select which Google Fiber package (Gigabit Internet, Gigabit + TV, or Free Internet) you want. In order to get this early access to Google Fiber, make sure you sign up before October 31.
This process is slightly different for those of you who live in apartment buildings or condos (what we call “Multi-Dwelling Units,” or MDUs). Since we need to bring Fiber to the entire building, the process takes a little longer. We are starting the conversations with landlords and property owners across the city. If you live in a building with 9 or more units, get in touch with your landlord and (1) tell them that you want Google Fiber, and (2) ask them to fill out this form. A member of our local Provo Fiber team will contact your landlord to discuss next steps on how to bring gigabit speed to your unit.
Have questions? Confused about what this means for you? Just give us a call, email us or do an online chat with our customer service team. We’re here and ready to help, 24/7.
Posted by Michael Slinger, Director of Fiber Business Operations

Ed Note: From time to time, we invite guest bloggers to write about their work — and why they think faster Internet speeds are important — here on our Fiber blog. Today we’re joined by Joe Kochan, the COO of US Ignite, a nonprofit that’s been traveling the U.S. searching for developers who want to build new tools for a faster web. US Ignite is joining us at the Kansas City Fiber Space this November and they’re looking for a few talented developers to come along...
What would you do with a gigabit? That's the question that US Ignite has been working to answer since we launched — and we want you to help us come up with some answers. This November, our team will travel to Kansas City to work with local and national developers to build and test gigabit applications that are built for high speed networks like the Google Fiber.
Do you want to build an application that:
• Is incredibly and realistically responsive, with no latency or delay?
• Allows you to touch, move, and control things with your hands, your eyes or your body language?
• Enables real-time collaboration in a natural way?
• Provides immediate results from massive computational efforts with big data?
• Is not limited by bandwidth?

If so, we want you to join us in Kansas City on Friday, November 1 - Sunday, November 3 for our Gigabit Explorer Challenge. We’re accepting applications starting this week — just submit your ideas on our website to join the contest. Not only will you get to develop using Google Fiber, but you’ll also have access to technology advisors and onsite computing and storage resources. You just need to have a great idea and be willing to put in the time to develop it.
For more information about US Ignite and its mission, please visit our website or watch this 3-minute video summarizing our recent Applications Summit, where some gigabit applications were already demonstrated. Hope to see you at the Fiber Space!
Posted by Joe Kochan, COO, US Ignite

Earlier this evening, the Lenexa, Kan. City Council unanimously passed an agreement to bring Google Fiber to their residents. Lenexa is our 17th Kansas City-area expansion city (in addition to Kansas City, Kan. and Kansas City, Mo.)

View Kansas City Areas Eligible for Google Fiber in a larger map
We're excited to bring service to Lenexa, but we still need to plan and start building our network there before we can open sign-ups or share any information about customer installation. In the meantime, you can keep up with our progress right here on our blog, and you can sign up for email updates by entering your address on our website.
Posted by Rachel Hack, Community Manager, Google Fiber

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