Google Fiber Files Permits for Remaining Huts in Charlotte

Google Fiber originally planned for 19 Fiber Huts in Charlotte, but until last week only 16 permits had been filed. We learned that the remaining three hut permits were filed on April 14 for the following locations:

Fiber Hut CLT 124            4027 Sandy Porter Rd (near Olympic High School)

Fiber Hut CLT 118             1546 Walton Rd (near Barringer Academic Center)

Fiber Hut CLT 115             3620 Rea Rd (near Olde Providence Elementary)

For a complete list of the 19 fiber huts in Charlotte click here.

It is our understanding that leaders in the Charlotte DOT, CMS, and the local Google Fiber team successfully negotiated the deeding and leasing of the properties so the huts could be built. We don't know all the details of the negotiations, but assume it included convincing Google Fiber lawyers to see things Charlotte's way! 

We owe our local heroes a big Thank You for bring the matter to conclusion so we can move forward with the ultra high-speed Internet infrastructure!

Are you interested in knowing more about what Gigabit Internet will mean for Charlotte? Sign up for our mailing list with the link below and stay informed. You can also follow us on Twitter (@CltHeartsGb).

Progress on Charlotte Google Fiber Hut 123

[Updated May 4, 2016] Google Fiber has begun construction on Charlotte Fiber Hut #123, located at 8628 South Blvd near the intersection of Sharon Rd. West. According to the Accela Citizen Access database, the permit for Hut 123 was filed on June 8, 2015. For a list of the 16 Charlotte sites where Google Fiber has filed for permits, click here. Our sources indicate there are three additional locations that will be added to the current list.

Two pictures below show the Fiber Hut 123 site under construction. Thank you to Emerson Lawson for taking the photos.

Photo taken May 3, 2016

Photos taken March 27, 2016

Photos taken March 31, 2016

Photos taken April 2, 2016

City Memo Includes Broadband Updates

On June 17, 2015 the City of Charlotte issued Council-Manager Memo #44 which included highlights of recent activities on broadband Internet. This month the city highlighted Google Fiber’s official start of construction, and the city’s decision to join Raleigh and the 100 other member cities in the Next Century Cities coalition.

Google Fiber Construction

Staff Resource: Kruti Desai, CDOT, 704-353-1795, kdesai@charlottenc.gov

Google Fiber has begun construction of its new high speed fiberoptic network for Charlotte. Construction is beginning in the Highland Creek area in northeast Charlotte (District 4). Google plans to begin with two crews and increase to fourteen crews by mid-August, peaking at approximately 150 crews. Charlotte Department of Transportation right of way staff permits and inspects all work in the City right of way. Google’s contactor will place residential door hangers prior to construction in neighborhoods, which will include general information and a 24/7 Google Fiber Construction information line (877) 454-6959. Citizens can also sign up for updates at https://fiber.google.com/cities/charlotte/support/.

Next Century Cities Program

Staff Resource: Tom Warshauer, NBS, 704-336-4522, twarshauer@charlottenc.gov

With Charlotte poised as a gigabit city that seeks to bridge the digital divide, being able to readily connect with other communities to share expertise and learn best practices will be invaluable. Next Century Cities (NCC), a national 501(c)3 provides this forum across more than 80 member cities of all sizes. The City of Charlotte is a member city. Below is additional information about NCC.

NCC supports communities and their elected officials as they seek to ensure that all residents have access to fast, affordable, reliable internet. It helps equip cities to meet key challenges and obstacles in developing broadband strategies, and it elevates the importance of broadband adoption nationally. There are over 80 participating communities with which Charlotte can form city-to-city learning opportunities. The non-profit is supported by the New Venture Fund, the Ford Foundation, Knight Foundation, the Open Society Foundation, Google, and other donors. There is no cost to be an NCC member.

Deb Socia, the Executive Director of Next Century Cities, is no stranger to Charlotte. She was one of the panelists at the recent CBJ Global Charlotte conference (read our recap of the event), was a speaker at one of the city’s Digital Inclusion meetings, and spoke at the Best Minds Conference at Queens University in March.

Next Century Cities just released Connecting 21st Century Communities: A Policy Agenda For Broadband Stakeholders (read here). The Charlotte Hearts Gigabit initiative is highlighted as a best practice in the Community section.

There is no doubt that Charlotte is focused on becoming the Crown Jewel of Gigabit Internet cities!

Google Fiber Reception in Charlotte

We were invited to the Google Fiber reception in Charlotte at The Liberty on Wednesday, January 28, 2015. It was a great opportunity to celebrate Charlotte's selection as one of the new Google Fiber cities.

Google Fiber had local representatives in attendance, as well as team members from the national deployment team, and from Kansas City and Provo which already have networks deployed.

Here are some pictures from the event:

Google Fiber is Coming to Charlotte

It's official! Google Fiber announced today that Charlotte is one of the next cities to receive their residential Gigabit Internet service.

We believe that Google Fiber will have a profound impact on our community in the following ways:

• Economic development. The killer app for local fiber networks is economic development. Specific areas where it could help our region include: Healthcare, Clean Energy, Education and Workforce Development, Advanced Manufacturing, Emergency Preparedness and Public Safety, and Transportation.
• Attracting talent. Creatives, software developers, web designers, advanced manufacturers, videographers...all examples of who could be attracted to live in our region with a fiber infrastructure. Not only will the individuals see value in relocating here, but companies who are recruiting employees from out-of-area will be able to list it as a quality of life benefit for being here.
• Entrepreneurship has flourished where fiber networks have been installed. Real-time online gaming, live telepresence, editing videos and pictures in the cloud, distributed super-computing, marketplace for video editing, are all potential applications.
• Increase in competition improves ISP service levels and reduces prices. Areas without much competition are left behind. One of the benefits we've already seen from Google Fiber considering Charlotte is AT&T and TWC both committing to improve their offerings in the region.
• Improved community collaboration. Numerous people in Kansas City told us that the Google Fiber project brought together the two-state metro area more than anything seen to date. Groups started to work with each other to improve the good for the community. HOAs started pitching in to pay the fees for residents to access the fiber. Libraries, schools and faith based groups were heavily engaged as well.

As excited as we are to be selected, we also realize the hard work is just beginning. How do we leverage this new infrastructure to improve our community? How can we encourage entrepreneurs to build apps leveraging the increased speed, reduced latency, and improved quality of service? How do we make sure everyone is included and people are not left out?

These questions and more remain to be answered, and it won't be Google Fiber who answer them, it will be us. We the users of a Gigabit Internet infrastructure must be co-creators of the game plan. We encourage you to join us in this effort. Please encourage your friends to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Twitter (@CltHeartsGb). Let's build the future together.