Economy

Google Fiber

On March 30, 2011, Google announced that it would bring its new high-speed fiberoptic network to Kansas City, Kan. Residents and businesses would be able to connect at a speed of 1 gigabit per second, 100 times faster than the average American's connection speed. In May 2011, the company announced that the service would be extended to Kansas City, Mo., as well. On July 26, 2012, Google announced that it would launch a television service along with the internet service. The announcement marked a six-week rally during which interested people can pre-register for Google's services. The next big date is Sept. 9, 2012, at which point the pre-registration period is over, and Kansas Citians who've secured the service can begin to schedule installations.

How Far Has Kansas City Come As A Tech Town?

KCUR | By Sylvia Maria Gross,

Matthew Long-Middleton

Published December 12, 2013 at 9:12 AM CST

Long before Google Fiber arrived in 2011, Kansas City has had a thriving technology sector, with cutting-edge companies like Cerner, Garmin and Sprint (whose roots go back to 1899 in Abilene, Kan.). Many of these companies have spawned other technology startups, which you can see on this impressive KC tech genealogy map.

But when Google announced it would build its first fiber-optic cable network in the Kansas City area, the idea of a gigabit internet, and its possibilities sparked a bi-state drive to take full advantage of the new resource.

On KCUR's news program KC Currents, we checked out some places where digital life is blooming in Kansas City, like the weekly entrepreneur meetup One Million Cups and the Kansas City Startup Village. We also visited some communities that are far from being fully connected.

And with our guests and callers, we asked the question: How far has Kansas City come as a tech town?

Guests:

Greg Kratofil, technology attorney, Polsinelli PC
Aaron Deacon, managing director, KC Digital Drive
Dane Stangler, vice president of research and policy, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation