Google Twin Ports is a community-wide initiative led by the mayors of both Duluth and Superior, aimed at becoming one of a handful of locations in the United States for Google to build an ultra-high speed broadband network.
If successful, it would allow residents of Duluth to pay about what they're paying now, for Internet 100 times faster than current top speeds. This would lead to all kinds of benefits for individuals and businesses, many of which haven't even been imagined yet.
For example, a rural health clinic near Duluth could stream three-dimensional medical images over the web, so the patient wouldn't have to drive several hours for an appointment to see a specialist. Students here could join others around the globe in watching a live lecture in 3D. Each person on the network could download a full high-definition movie in less than five minutes.
How fast? Google will deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today, with 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. Google says they'll offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 people, and potentially up to 500,000 people.
Google's main goals for this experiment are to spur interest in what's possible, if Internet speed is no object. Google wants to test a new way of building fiber networks and create an open network, so users will have more choice in who they buy Interent access from. In addition, Google wants to watch developers create a whole variety of new applications that currently aren't practical to create, due to lack of bandwith.
The initial meeting on the idea organized by Duluth Mayor Don Ness, occured Feb. 15. In attendance were about 12 local IT professionals and entrepreneurs. The team has now expanded to include four committees all tackling different aspects of the proposal, from preliminary engineering of the project, to getting the communities involved.
A facebook group started before the first meeting has already grown to nearly 2,000 members, as of Feb. 17.
Everyone interested in this initiative is asked to show your support:
- Visit http://www.googletwinports.com and click the "nominate our communities" button; join our Facebook Groups page, and join the Google Groups page, and keep up on the latest news on our blog.
- Post your own video explaining why you want Google to come to the Twin Ports and how you'd benefit from this.
- Come to the public events where we'll be discussing the project. Our next one is scheduled for: 4:00 pm at the UMD Center for Economic Development, in the Technology Village: 11 East Superior Street, Suite 210, Duluth, MN 55802
Google will always do good stuff for the public. Of course, there's a profit in mind but they are still doing good stuff for the community. Just like Bill Gates' program of getting personal computers to 3rd world counties. Again, Microsoft packages are in the computer so it's a win win situation.
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