Portland Gets One Step Closer to Getting Google Fiber
In a few years time, when you come to retire in Portland, chances are that you will be able to subscribe to Google Fiber. Earlier this week, the city took another step in allowing Google to expand its gigabit fiber network to “fiberhoods” in the city by approving a franchise agreement with the company. Google plans to invest over $300 million in this project, the Oregonian reported earlier this week, and because this is Portland, somebody has already brewed an IPA to celebrate the vote.
Portland is part of Google’s wider expansion plan for Fiber, which it announced this February. In total, 34 cities are on Google’s list. All of them are at different stages in the process of evaluating Fiber and working with Google, but it seems Portland has been moving the fastest so far (which makes me happy, because that’s where I retired to a long time ago). Besides the city of Portland itself, Google is also working with officials in the suburbs of Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Tigard, Gresham and Hillsboro (the home of Intel’s largest fabs).