Google Fiber activates service in 3K apartment, condominium communities

Google Fiber has lit up its 1 Gbps FTTH service in 3,000 multifamily communities, including a mix of apartment and condominium developments, a feat that will likely create envy from other communities to get a similar service arrangement.  

The service provider also established 300 Community Connections. These agreements, which are conducted through a partnership with local nonprofit organizations, provide internet access and digital literacy tools to lower-income communities.

As a process that was made possible through its work with national and local real estate developers, Google Fiber worked closely with national and local real estate developers, property managers and condo boards to extend its services to multifamily communities across the United States.

RELATED: Report: Google Fiber’s Atlanta fiber plans remain uncertain

“We didn’t do this alone—our real estate and organizational partners made this a reality for their residents,” said Lee Bienstock, head of partnerships for Google Fiber, in a blog post. “It’s a collaborative effort—working with each property, we identify the best way to serve their residents from the beginning of construction to installation and our ongoing service. Each project is unique.

In choosing which communities to connect with its fiber service, Google Fiber said the conversation started with the design process and continues to ensure that managers can use Google Fiber to differentiate their property to prospective residents.

Besides extending fiber to these communities, Google Fiber recently expanded its commitment to become a technology partner by launching the "Google Hardware Program." This program is designed to help properties capitalize on the smart home ecosystem by offering preferred pricing on Google Home, Nest Thermostats and other devices.

While these builds are certainly positive, the outlook for other communities inside Atlanta and Louisville, Kentucky are less certain.

In Atlanta’s Sandy Springs and Brookhaven, recent media reports suggest that Google Fiber’s 1 Gbps FTTH build has stalled, but the company maintains it is on track with its deployment plans.

Over in Louisville, Google Fiber won a major victory when a court dismissed AT&T’s suit against the metro government over the passing of the one-touch make-ready (OTMR) proposal to streamline access to local utility poles.

Louisville’s OTMR ordinance, which was passed in February 2016, would help ease Google Fiber’s and other competitors’ movement into the Louisville broadband market by allowing them to move and install their own wiring on poles instead of waiting for AT&T and other service providers to conduct this work.

Other than confirming Louisville would be one of the first cities which would use a hybrid approach including a mix of wireline-based fiber and millimeter wave wireless technology to speed up installation timelines, the service provider has yet to confirm a launch date.