More than a 1,000 communities wanted it, but only one – Kansas City – will get it.
The ‘it’ is Google’s ultra-high-speed municipal broadband project.
Google’s network will provide Internet access at speeds 100 times faster than are currently available to residential homes. The project will begin rolling out in 2012, and Google said it will be “looking closely” for ways to bring the service to other U.S. cities.
Google selected Kansas City because the city offered solid network infrastructure, plus the program would have a significant impact on the area.
“In selecting a city, our goal was to find a location where we could build efficiently, make an impact on the community, and develop relationships with local government and community organizations,” Google wrote. “We’ve found this in Kansas City. We’ll be working closely with local organizations including the Kauffman Foundation, KCNext, and the University of Kansas Medical Center to help develop the gigabit applications of the future.”