Andre Yoskowitz
28 Jul 2012 13:43
Google has launched their Google Fiber Internet service this week for Kansas City residents.
The gigabit broadband service will be offered in different packages, with one being completely free for the next seven years.
Says the search giant: "Google Fiber works better when communities are connected together so we've divided Kansas City into small communities we call fiberhoods. We'll install only where there's enough interest, and we'll install sooner in fiberhoods where there's more interest. You can check out your fiberhood's pre-registration goal, as well as a real-time status update of all Kansas City fiberhoods on our rankings page."
Kansas City residents can pre-register for the service providing they pay a $10 processing fee and reveal some basic personal information. The deadline is September 9th.
"When you participate, not only will you help bring Google Fiber to your home, you'll also help bring it to your community--if your fiberhood reaches its pre-registration goal, we'll also connect community buildings like schools, libraries and hospitals with free Gigabit Internet," added the company in its statement.
The most "expensive" package is $120 per month and gives consumers gigabit Internet and TV. Additionally, the new Nexus 7 tablet is included for free (normally $200), as is a cable box, a DVR, a router and a 1TB Google Drive subscription. The cable TV is 160 digital, HD channels. The Internet offers 1Gbps download and upload speeds.
Perhaps even more notably, there are no catches. Users will have to sign a standard 2-year contract, and any equipment/installation fess are waived. There are no bandwidth caps, either.
If $120 is too much, Google's second package removes the TV service and costs $70 per month with a one-year contract. With that package you will get the router and the Google Drive account.
The final plan is the free Internet package. For a one-time cost of $300 up-front, you will get a 5Mbps download connection that is free for the next 7 years. In addition, there are no caps and you get the free router.
Here is the list of channels available at launch:
3Net
A&E
Action Weather
Animal Planet
Antenna TV
Bandamax
BET
BET Gospel
Biography Channel
BlueHighways TV
Bounce TV
Bravo
C-SPAN
C-SPAN 2
C-SPAN 3
CBS Sports Network
Centric
Chiller
cloo
CMT
CMT Pure Country
CNBC
CNBC World
Comedy Central
Cooking Channel
Create
Crime & Investigation Network
Current TV
De Pelicula
De Pelicula Clasico
Destination America
Discovery
Discovery en Espanol
Discovery Familia
Discovery Fit & Health
DIY
E! Entertainment
Encore
Encore Action
Encore Drama
Encore Espanol
Encore Family
Encore Love
Encore Suspense
Encore Westerns
Flix
Food Network
FOROTv
G4
GAC
Galavision
Game Show Network
Golf Channel
H2
Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Movie Channel
Halogen
HGTV
History
IndiePlex
INSP
Investigation Discovery
ION Life
KCPT (PBS)
KCTV 5 (CBS)
KCWE 29 (CW)
KMBC 9 (ABC)
KMCI 38
KPXE 50 (ION)
KSHB 41 (NBC)
KSMO 62
KUKC 48 (Univision)
La Familia Cosmovision
Lifetime
Lifetime Move Network
Lifetime Real Women
Live Well
LOGO
MeTV
MGM
Military Channel
Military History
MLB Network
MoviePlex
MSNBC
MTV
MTV Hits
MTV Jams
MTV tr3s
MTV2
MTVU
mun2
NASA
NBC Sports Network
NFL
NFL Redzone
NHL
Nick 2
Nick Jr.
Nickelodeon
Nicktoons
Olympics Channel 1
Olympics Channel 2
Outdoor Channel
OWN
Oxygen
Palladia
PBS Encore
PBS Kids Sprout
qubo
QVC
REELZChannel
RetroPlex
Ritmoson Latino
Science channel
Sho2
Showtime
Showtime Beyond
Showtime Extreme
Showtime Family Zone
Showtime Next
Showtime Showcase
Showtime Women
Smithsonian
Spike TV
Sportsman Channel
Starz
Starz Cinema
Starz Comedy
Starz Edge
Starz in Black
Starz Kids and Family
Style!
SyFy
TBN Enlace
Teen Nick
Telefutura
Telehit
Telemundo
Tennis Channel
The History en Espanol
The Hub
This TV
TLC
TMC Extra
TMC: The Movie Channel
Travel Channel
TV Land
TVG
Universal
Univision Deportes
Univision tlnovelas
USA Network
VH1
VH1 Classic
VH1 Soul
WDAF 4 (FOX)
WealthTV
Weather channel
WGN
Youtoo TV