Last year, the internet giant said it was halting all Google Fiber expansion plans, leading to much derision from telecoms operators in the US, including AT&T, who has been locked in a legal dispute with Google over its plans for Louisville.
According to the mayor of Louisville, Greg Fischer, Google’s Fiber plans are up and running again, with the Kentucky city set to be the next to be connected by the gigabit internet service.
In a video posted to Facebook, Fischer said the announcement “really puts an exclamation point to the economic momentum that we’ve got in the city right now. We’re really going like a renaissance like we haven’t seen in quite some time. And it sends another strong message to the world that we have an innovative-based economy here, we expect it to grow more jobs, create more opportunity.”
According to TechRepublic, Google has been eyeing a deployment in Louisville for a number for years, but will now seek a permit to begin building a new Fiber network.
This network will be made up of both fibre and fixed wireless technology, the reports claim, and will also use microtrenching. This sees small trenches cut into street to lay fibre cables, rather than digging out larger pipelines.
Google has yet to update its plans on its official Google Fiber website, which still states it is “exploring” the opportunity to bring fibre to Louisville, but report in the US say the company has confirmed Fischer’s claim, saying it will release details “at a later date”.
A Google Fiber spokesperson said, "The start of construction is an exciting moment for Google Fiber in Louisville. Building a new fibre network is a big job, and we're grateful for the continued patience and support of the city's residents and leaders. Working with our partners, we can't wait to continue to develop creative ways to bring superfast connectivity to Louisville."
