High-speed, affordable internet is every PC enthusiast's dream. Unfortunately, given the state of the broadband market in the US, it's rarely one the average person can achieve. Not for reasonable prices, anyway.
That's where Google comes in. For years now, Google has been offering the public its own gigabit fiber internet package in select cities – for a measly $50. That's an astoundingly low price for those lucky enough to live in a supported "Fiberhood," but Google's Fiber rollout has been pretty slow. They've faced numerous setbacks over time and even shut down their network in some locations, such as Louisville.
Regardless, Google continues to forge ahead. To prove that point, Google today announced that Fiber coverage is coming to Austin, Texas. The network has already been available in one of Texas' other major cities – San Antonio – for quite a while now, so this news isn't a huge surprise.
Unlike San Antonio's Fiber coverage, however, Austin's version of the network offers both Webpass (which gives high-speed Gigabit internet to those in condos and apartments) and traditional Fiber. Either way, you'll be paying $70/month for a gigabit connection, and $50/month for a 100 megabit connection.
If you live in Austin and want to give Fiber a shot, you can check if your specific address has access to the network on the official Google Fiber website. If you don't have it yet, worry not. The full city rollout will likely take some time, so check regularly.
Image credit: WFAE