Google Fiber plans expansion into 34 more US cities

Rapid advance could spell serious threat to established telcos

Google has revealed plans to expand the company's Google Fiber television and internet service into 34 more US cities, in a move that could see it become a genuine competitor to existing broadband providers.

Google says it is now targeting nine metropolitan areas around the US, including Atlanta, Nashville and San Jose.

While plans are only at the discussion stage with the authorities in these areas, an agreed installation would see the web firm providing connections up to 100 times faster than the average US domestic communications network.

Google has stated on its blog that Portland, Nashville and "dozens of others" now have high-speed broadband featured as "a pillar of their economic development plans", and implies that Google could be the company to achieve this.

The company says it will provide "updates by the end of the year" about precisely which cities will be receiving Google Fiber.

Google Fiber has had an interesting development from a shadowy curiosity to a legitimate service, as the company suddenly came out in mid-2013 and said it expects "to make money from" the service.

At that stage the service was functioning only in Kansas City. It is now operating in Provo and Austin as well.

Google is reportedly winning city authorities over on a social and economic level by working more closely and carefully with officials to keep installation costs and local disruption down when compared with other telcos of the past.