Seattle is going to place its hat in the ring to test an ultra-high speed broadband network and is asking for your help.

What Is This About? 

The City of Seattle will respond to a “Request for Information” from Google for a pilot program that Google is doing to build and test ultra-high speed broadband networks.  If we are successful, Google will select one or more neighborhoods in Seattle to participate in their pilot program.  

 Google’s plan is to launch an experiment that Google hopes will make Internet access better and faster for everyone.  Google’s networks “…will deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today over 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections.  [Google will] offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.”

 How Can You Help?

 On behalf of your neighborhood, organization, or business, you can fill out the section of Google’s Request for Information (RFI) that is geared toward residents and community groups.  Responses are due back to Google by March 26. 

 This section of the RFI allows neighborhoods, organizations, or businesses to make their pitch to Google for why Google should build a fiber-to-the-home network in a particular area of Seattle.    The questions in this section focus on (a) why Google should pick a particular neighborhood for their pilot; and (b) what’s the type, quality, and price of current internet services in that neighborhood.

 How Do I Fill Out the RFI?

Below are step-by-step instructions for filling out the residents and community groups section of the RFI:

 1.       Go to Google’s website http://www.google.com/appserve/fiberrfi/

2.       Click on the “Get Involved” button.

3.       Login (if you already have an account). 

4.       If you do not have an account, click on “Create an Account Now.”  Follow the instructions for creating an account – this will include responding to an “email address verification” email that Google will email to the address you provide them.

5.       Go back to where you were in the Google website and click on “Nominate your Community.”  This will bring up the list of questions that you will respond to on line, and submit to Google when you are finished.

 Questions? 

 If you have questions about how to fill out the RFI form, please contact Diane Clausen (phone number is 684-8151; email is [email protected]).

 If you have questions about the Google RFI project in general, please contact Tony Perez (phone number is 386-0070; email is [email protected]).