Improving broadband speeds and choice for Jacksonville residents are integral to its growth. Today’s average American broadband speed is 11.7 Megabits per second. In contrast, Google Fiber could bring Jacksonville residents access to gigabit Internet up to 1,000 Megabits per second—or up to 85 times faster than average speeds in America.
 
“In this increasingly competitive and global economy, access to quality and high-speed internet service is crucial to making sure Jacksonville is well-placed for continued economic growth,” said Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry. “Jacksonville is quickly growing as a tech and innovation hub for our region, and access to a robust fiber-optic network like Google Fiber will put us in a stronger position. I am incredibly excited to work with Google and other city leaders to explore this opportunity.”
 
Consumer demand for faster Internet speeds is at an all-time high. Many of the things people love to do online — from gaming to streaming — require a lot of bandwidth. Families want faster speeds at home to do what they love to do on the Web, without buffering or fighting over bandwidth during primetime. And fiber networks aren’t just about meeting today’s speed needs. This year, the White House made faster Internet speeds a priority, citing the need to drive innovation, foster investment in new industries, and ensure that America is competitive in the global economy. The next leap in Internet speeds — to gigabit Internet — will lead to innovation that’s unimaginable today.
 
“Abundant high-speed Internet can help communities grow stronger, laying a foundation for innovation and economic growth,” said Jill Szuchmacher, Director of Expansion, Google Fiber. “City leaders like Mayor Curry have taken a big step to see what they can do to bring superfast fiber networks to residents and businesses. We look forward to working side-by-side with Jacksonville in the coming months to explore the possibility of bringing Google Fiber to the city.”
 
Starting this week, Google will work closely with Mayor Curry and city leaders on a joint planning process to explore what it would take to build a brand new fiber-optic network capable of delivering these gigabit speeds throughout Jacksonville. Google will begin compiling a detailed study of local factors that may include construction plans. Simultaneously, Mayor Curry and city leaders will meet with Google executives to discuss the plans required to prepare the city for a fiber project of this scale.
 
Google Fiber is an Internet and TV service that provides Internet connectivity up to 1 gigabit — 85 times faster than average speeds in America, along with hundreds of HD TV channels. Google Fiber is currently available in Kansas City, KS; Kansas City, MO; Provo, UT; and Austin, TX. Google Fiber is in the process of expanding to six additional metro areas: Atlanta, GA; Charlotte, NC; Nashville, TN; Raleigh-Durham, NC; Salt Lake City, UT; and San Antonio, TX.
 
For more information about this announcement, visit the Google Fiber blog.