The red cities are those currently being considered for Google Fiber. Green cities either already have it or are in the process of getting it. Image: Google
Nashville officials have just two weeks to show Google that the city is ready for its high-speed internet service. Nashville is one of nine metro areas competing for Google Fiber, said to be 100 times faster than convention broadband. Questions over utility poles might be a deciding factor.
Google gave Nashville until May 1 to meet a set of demands. One of the things the city has to show is that Google will have access to existing utility poles, because going underground isn’t an option due to dense limestone.
Google spokeswoman Jenna Wandres said negotiating a fair leasing price with Nashville Electric Service will be weighed heavily in their final decision.
“It doesn’t make sense for a provider to come in and put up a new utility pole right next to an existing one. It’s an eyesore and it’s disruptive to everyone.”
NES operates about 80 percent the city’s utility poles.
Laurie Parker, an NES spokeswoman, said details about their exact relationship with Google are still in the works, adding that “we are excited about the possibility of working with Google.”
Bonna Johnson, spokeswoman for Mayor Karl Dean, said the city will present Google with the information they’ve requested in the next two weeks.
“Metro has provided information related to planning, construction and maintenance of a fiber network, including maps of poles, existing electricity, water and gas lines. Metro also provided information on government processes, including permitting procedures and access to local infrastructure to determine what the construction would entail and how it could scale to move quickly.”
On Tuesday night, Metro Council will vote on whether to let the Google lease city land. The company will use it for Fiber Huts, 20-foot boxes to hold processing equipment. San Antonio is the only other city of the nine competing to pass such a leasing agreement.
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