For Some Of Nashville’s High-Speed Internet Customers, It’s All About Reputation

Google Fiber’s announcement last week that it’s finally starting to install high-speed Internet service stirred up a little buzz. The tech giant has a Nashville fan base that can’t wait to get ahold of its fiber-optic option. As Google enters the scene, Internet providers are battling for the best reputation in the new gigabit market.

12South resident Michael Harrington is ready to join the “Fiberhood.”

“I think it’s fantastic, it’s the greatest thing,” he says.

Harrington admits to blind trust. He believes Google will perform better, even when delivering the same products as traditional providers — both AT&T and Comcast have moved quickly to up their internet speeds.

Harrington is a Comcast customer and he’s, well, harsh.

“They’re just not to be trusted, Comcast,” he says. “The fact that they of course could’ve been doing better all along but had no incentive to. I’m just opposed to them completely, kind of like someone would be to ISIS. No one speaks well of ISIS.”

Comcast spokesman Alex Horwitz says he knows the company has a bad reputation— and they’re working on it.

“I’ll be very honest with you. There’s definitely a big space for us to improve the customer experience,” Horwitz says. “I’m seeing firsthand a lot of steps the company’s taking to say ‘hey, we’ve heard you loud and clear, and these are the things we’re doing to boost the experience.'”

Horwitz says these changes, like adding a storefront in Nashville, are part of Comcast’s larger game plan, not a reaction to increased competition.  

Whatever the reason, music producer Terry Grant hopes it drives up quality and lowers prices. He believes the main reason Google has a better public image is because it’s new to the market.

“Initially I think it will definitely be in their benefit that people seem to like Google a lot more than they like the other companies,” Grant says. “But honestly, the thing that’s going to matter the most to me will be where can I get the most stable reliable service and where can I pay the least for it?”

For now, Google hasn’t released a timeline for when Fiber signups will begin. Comcast hopes to push out 2 gigabit speed by the end of the month, and AT&T’s Gigapower is already available in parts of Nashville.