TECHNOLOGY Council approves Google Fiber Round Rock expansion
WIRELESS, MODEMS, & FIBER
Consumers in the U.S. have multiple options available to connect to the internet:
BY BROOKE SJOBERG
limits, such as in the city’s extrater- ritorial jurisdiction or in a municipal utility district, Cortez said access will depend on which entity owns the roads, and that Google Fiber is in talks with Williamson County to o er its services. Once in place, Round Rock resi- dents would have access to download speeds of 1 gigabit for $70 per month or 2 gigabits for $100 per month. Residents who are interested in receiving noti cation of Google Fiber availability in their area can sign up at www. ber.google.com with additional information available from the city of Round Rock’s website. Residents can expect news about availability to be forthcoming, although likely not as soon as they would like, Bennett said. “The chatter on social media has been everything from, ‘It’s coming tomorrow,’ to, ‘We’re going to sign up, and it’s not going to be here for ve years,’” Bennett said. “The reality is, it’s going to be somewhere in the middle.” Cortez said construction is expected to commence in late 2023, and some residents could be able to connect before others, depending on where they are located. Google Fiber has not shared details regarding which areas may be rst to connect to the network. “I would say we are going to try our hardest to under promise and over deliver,” Cortez said. “As we build parts of our networks, in segments, we will turn it on for that neighborhood and keep moving. It is entirely conceivable that we can move faster.”
“We build our network in segments,” Cortez said. “As we complete segments, residents who live in those areas will have access to service once we’re nished. So some Round Rock residents and small businesses will have access to service relatively quickly.” During the Oct. 27 meeting, Cortez said the network would likely begin operating in Round Rock’s southern section rst, because it will extend from North Austin and will coordi-
Google Fiber gained clearance to expand its network north of Austin following approval of a nonexclu- sive license agreement with the city of Round Rock. “This is a simple agreement with big impact,” Assistant City Manager Brooks Bennett said of the agreement during a packet brie ng. Approved at an Oct. 27 City Council meeting, the agreement allows the provider to construct
Cable modems Internet service providers use coaxial cables, the same cables that transmit picture and sound to a television set, to connect a modem to the internet. Wireless broadband These wireless connections can be mobile or xed, and typically require an antenna. Fiber-optic cable Similar to internet connections such as cable modems and wireless broadband, ber o ers a connection between a customer’s home and the provider’s facilities. Fiber o ers fast upload and download speeds.
its ber-optic cable network within city limits in exchange for a 1% fee. With the approval, Round Rock joins Austin and San Antonio as one of three cities in Texas included in the high-speed internet provider’s service area. “We enjoy being on the cutting edge of technology here in Round Rock, so we are excited
nate with the city’s street maintenance e orts. As for the location of the potential expansion, Cortez pointed to the area’s rapid growth and friendliness to business opportunities as well as the Google Fiber mission to bring access to all communities. “We believe that everyone in every community,
“THE CHATTER ON SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BEEN EVERYTHING FROM, ‘IT’S COMING TOMORROW,’ TO, ‘WE’RE GOING TO SIGN UP, AND IT’S NOT GOING TO BE HERE FOR FIVE YEARS,’ THE REALITY IS, IT’S GOING TO BE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.” BROOKS BENNETT, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
SOURCE: FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION COMMUNITY IMPACT
GOOGLE FIBER INSTALLATION
1 Google Fiber runs a line through a given area using a micro trenching approach along the edge of a curb. 2 The line will connect to a covering called a pedestal, similar to internet services, before entering into homes. 3 An installer will drill a hole through the home’s exterior wall to connect the pedestal to a ber jack that will distribute a signal throughout a home via the device network. Google Fiber crews will begin installing its network in Round Rock by placing the ber line through a process called micro trenching. Round Rock Assistant City Manager Brooks Bennett said connecting to the service is fairly simple for residents.
that Google Fiber has chosen our community for its next expansion,” Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan said in a release. “We look forward to our residents and businesses having even more options for internet service.” John-Michael Cortez, Google’s government and community a airs manager, told Community Impact that it could take several years for a full build-out in a community the size of Round Rock.
whether they’re big, small, urban, suburban, rural, everywhere in between, deserves access to internet that’s fast, reliable, fairly priced and open,” Cortez said. “That’s why we were founded. As far as Round Rock is concerned, it’s long been a great place to do business and a fantastic place to call home.” Regarding concerns of whether the service would expand to Round Rock addresses located outside of the city
SOURCE: CITY OF ROUND ROCK COMMUNITY IMPACT
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ROUND ROCK EDITION • DECEMBER 2022
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