Gigabit Squared Bringing Ultra High-Speed Fiber Broadband Network to Seattle
Seattle, Washington is already known for its incessant rainfall and having the honor of being labeled the cradle of all things grunge that defined the ’90s generation, but soon it will be adding another feather in its cap once the city will be known for playing host to a sophisticated broadband network. Responding to the citizens’ desire for better broadband service, Gigabit Squared (GB2) — a broadband developer based in Washington — and Seattle mayor Mike McGinn announced an agreement in which the city will be working closely with the company to build a “fiber-to-the-home/fiber-to-the-business broadband network” (FTTH/FTTB), providing an unparalleled service aimed to benefit Seattle’s numerous institutions as well as its residents.
Along with the University of Washington, charged with community leadership, the City of Seattle and Gigabit Squared have all signed a Memorandum of Understanding and a Letter of Intent that grants the broadband developer permission to gather the necessary capital needed to begin work on this proposition. Using Seattle’s excess fiber infrastructure as a jumping off point, GB2 will create more and provide three new internet options they have collectively labeled the Gigabit Seattle network: A FTTH/FTTB network, wireless gigabit broadband connections to offices and multifamily housing, and next generation wireless cloud services.
The FTTH/FTTB network will be available only for 12 demonstration neighborhoods, with Gigabit Seattle offering a connection touted as being 1,000 times faster than the standard high-speed connection. In addition to this, they will also be receiving the wireless cloud service as a means of providing them with a form of mobile access. Even though it appears at first glance that these neighborhoods are walking away with all the candy, those not living within these areas of demonstration aren’t left out in the internet cold.
Alternatively, these particular areas will be able to receive a similar connection via the installation of fiber transmitters atop various buildings across Seattle. This coverage, what Gigabit Seattle calls a gigabit broadband wireless umbrella, provides point-to-point radio access constantly beaming fiber internet at one gigabit per second for offices and multifamily housing.
Gigabit Seattle is actually the first of many programs Gigabit Squared aims to initiate under their Gigabit Neighborhood Gateway Program. Down the line, the company plans to provide similar services to other cities overdue for an overhaul of their current infrastructure, illustrating how much of a necessity faster and smoother internet access has become over recent years.
(via Seattle.gov, Engadget)
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