When Google Fiber announced it was exploring bringing its service to Atlanta and eight other metro-area cities, it created a major buzz among media and the general public.
Mayor Kasim Reed lauded the event, saying in an announcement, “Google Fiber is the infrastructure for the next generation of innovation in Atlanta. High-speed Internet access is essential to participate in the 21st century economy.”
The cities chosen for the project – Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, College Park, Decatur, East Point, Hapeville, Sandy Springs and Smyrna – worked closely with Google Fiber on a checklist process to determine if the project would move ahead in these cities. During this process each city had to share key information on everything from infrastructure maps to current permitting processes. Interdev was honored to help two of the candidate cites meet the criteria provided in the Google Fiber checklist.
Kevin Lo, head of business operations for Google Fiber, expressed enthusiasm for the project coming to the Atlanta area when the decision was announced in January. “These new networks will lay the foundation for a wave of innovation and economic growth,” said Lo. “Atlanta is the perfect city to show us what’s possible, and we can’t wait to see what Atlanta will do with Fiber.”
For one city, an InterDev team member helped organize meetings, answer questions, and collect permits and other information. For both cities, GIS data that InterDev had helped structure and organize was used to identify the utility poles, and water, gas and electricity lines that determined where the lines could and couldn’t run.
When complete, residents and businesses in these communities will be able to sign up for broadband speeds of up to one gigabit, which is nearly 35 times faster than Atlanta’s average broadband speed of 29 megabits per second (Mbps). The project truly ushers in a new era in broadband technology, and InterDev was proud to play a role in the effort.