Wednesday, October 28, 2015
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today celebrated the announcement that Google Fiber will explore bringing ultra high-speed Internet to Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City is one of three new cities selected by Google Fiber for this partnership, a venture that could deliver cable and Internet speeds up to 85 times faster than in most American cities – and position Oklahoma City as one of the most attractive locations in the nation for high-tech startups.
“Today’s announcement that Google is exploring bringing Fiber to Oklahoma City is further validation of the success of our ongoing efforts to bring and keep high-tech companies and entrepreneurs to our great state,” said Fallin. “Google has been an Oklahoma company since 2011, when it invested more than $700 million in its data center in Mayes County. Google employees know firsthand what makes Oklahoma attractive to businesses looking to relocate or expand. More than 1,000 communities have sought to attract Google Fiber in the past, so for Oklahoma City to be an early prospect for this transformative initiative speaks volumes.”
Google Fiber was first introduced in 2009 as part of a Google challenge inviting U.S. cities to apply to become fiber-optic communities. Kansas City, Provo, and Austin are currently the only cities operating under a Google Fiber network, with the process underway in Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Raleigh-Durham, Salt Lake City, and San Antonio. Beginning this week, Google will work closely with Oklahoma City leaders on a joint planning process to explore what it would take to build a brand new fiber-optic network capable of delivering these gigabit speeds throughout the area.