Google Fiber Update for Lee's Summit - February 2015
As a tech company and an active member of the Lee's Summit business community, we want to give a brief update on Google Fiber. We hope to shed light on some of the mystery on its arrival time in Lee's Summit, as well as the planned availability of fiber for small businesses.
Google Fiber Construction Update
As of January, Lee's Summit City staff have been and will continue to meet bi-weekly with Google Fiber representatives for coordination on the Google Fiber project in LS. Construction is already underway, and you may see Google subcontractors installing the fiber optic network. Residents will be notified of Google Fiber construction in their neighborhood via door hangers.
Timeline and Availability
Right now, there is no verified date that Google Fiber will be active for Lee's Summit. However, Google representatives state that service for residential customers is still expected in 2015. However, no date has been given for commercial internet services. The timeline is variable based on weather and construction progress.
Pricing of Google Fiber for Small Businesses
After a trial run of Google Fiber for a sample of companies in Kansas City, Google has officially announced Google Fiber pricing for small businesses.
| Features | Details |
|---|---|
| Gigabit Internet Connection | $100 per month |
| Internet Speeds | Up to 1 Gigabit (1,000 Mbps) upload and download speeds |
| Included Hardware | Google will provide high performance Wi-Fi, gigabit routing, firewall protection, online network management using MyFiber |
| Technical Support | Dedicated support will be available via phone, email or chat at https://fiber.google.com/support/ |
| Optional Static IP Addresses | For companies that require a static IP address, Google will charge $20/month for 1 static IP, and $30/month for a set of 5 static IPs |
| Construction Fees | Google states that it will not be charging a construction fee for its Small Business Package. |
Click here for pricing on Google Fiber's Residential Services
Theoretically, $100/month for a gigabit connection is an absolutely incredible deal that is virtually unbeatable by local ISPs (Internet Service Providers). While I do think that Google Fiber will keep its prices much lower than the competition, know that this price is only guaranteed by Google for 1 year.
Should you get Google Fiber for your Small Business?
In many ways, it seems like Google Fiber is an obvious choice for small businesses regarding cost and performance. However, it's not that simple. Many companies are already locked into a 2 or 3 year contract with their current internet service provider. Switching would require cancelling an existing contract which can be quite costly due to cancellation fees as well as the temporal costs of switching network infrastructure.
Furthermore, many companies use their ISP as their phone provider as well. Usually companies get a sizeable discount on their phone services when bundling it with internet service. If you were to cancel your internet, and keep your phone system, be ready to negotiate a new rate for your phone service. Or you could consider switching to a VoIP (Voice over IP) solution since you'll certainly have the internet bandwidth necessary.
On the other hand, Google Fiber will bring a tremendous benefit to your business in terms of speed and reliability. A Gigabit connection will open the doors to HD video conferencing for virtual meetings and webinars. Also, if your company uses cloud-based software, they will operate significantly faster, since you won't have delays due to bandwidth issues. This may allow for the switch to more cloud-based computing software for your business. Finally, downloads (I.E. program updates, documents) and uploads (i.e. uploading a video to YouTube, social media updates) will be exceptionally fast with Google Fiber.
Google Fiber Speed Test. Test your current internet speed at www.SpeedTest.net
If you want to explore the possibility of upgrading to Google Fiber for your small business, feel free to reach out to us. We would be more than happy to assist you through the hurdles of determining if Google Fiber is the right fit financially and based on your company's needs.
