Lost in all of the hype over Google's Fiber to the Home drive is Cleveland, OH-based Case Western University's 1 Gbps FTTH trial.
To get the project up and running, CWRU's broadband service provider partner OneCommunity has secured an $18.7 million broadband stimulus grant. Similar to the Google initiative, CWRU's project is designed to examine how local communities can benefit from 1 Gbps fiber-based broadband access service.
Beginning in May, 104 homes in the Hessler Road neighborhood near CWRU will be able to get the service. Participating residents in what CWRU is calling the "Case Connection Zone," will be asked to give their perspective on the service through various surveys. Lev Gonick, chief information officer at CWRU and coordinator of the project, said these surveys will look at how the residents use the FTTH connections and accompanying software applications. Users will be able to access a Web portal that will enable them to monitor energy usage and interact with their local doctor.
For more:
- The Plain Dealer has this article