The only way Kansas City could be any higher on fiber today is if every barbecue joint in town spiked its sauce with Metamucil.
Anticipation on both sides of State Line Road is high as residents of Kansas City, Mo. and Kansas City, Kan. await word about the Google Fiber project. The heightened anticipation comes in the wake of last week’s announcement by Google that Google Fiber, its ultra high-speed network expected to deliver internet connections 100 times faster than normal high-speed broadband, “is coming on July 26.”
Google has scheduled an invite-only event at 10:30 a.m., which it will stream live. Silicon Prairie News will have plenty more leading up to and immediately following that announcement. But, in the meantime, here’s a look at a handful of noteworthy milestones that have led us up to today’s announcement.
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February 10, 2010
Google reveals its plans to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations, putting out a request for information (RFI) to help identify interested communities. (Google blog)
March 30, 2011
Google announces it has chosen Kansas City, Kan. from more than 1,100 cities for its ultra high-speed network. (SPN coverage)
May 17, 2011
Google Fiber will come to both sides of State Line, as the company announces Kansas City, Mo. will also be part of the project. (SPN coverage)
Aug. 30, 2011
Mayors Sly James (Kansas City, Mo.) and Joe Reardon (Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan.) announce the Mayors’ Bistate Innovations Team to jump-start Fiber-related collaboration between their cities. (SPN coverage)
Sept. 12, 2011
Rachel Hack, formerly of SITAKS, becomes the community manager for the Fiber project. (SPN coverage)
Feb. 6, 2012
Google reveals it is ready to begin laying fiber, although the company doesn’t specify where. (SPN coverage)
February 2012
Google Fiber submits applications to run video service in both Kansas and Missouri, potentially shedding lights on its plans for the high-speed connections it’s bringing to Kansas City. (SPN coverage)
April 9, 2012
The company reaches the 100-mile mark in fiber hung throughout Kansas City and offers a look at the infrastructure powering Google Fiber. (SPN coverage)
May 31, 2012
The Mayors’ Bistate Innovations Team unveils its findings, releasing its 37-page “playbook.” (SPN coverage)
July 18, 2012
Google announces it’s going to make an announcement. Google Fiber, the company says, “arrives July 26.” (SPN coverage)
Credits: Screenshot from fiber.google.com. Video from Google Fiber on YouTube.
