Gigabyte broadband from Google – in Duluth?

Here’s a press release we’ll be sending out about our intent to explore Google’s offer to bring gigabyte speed broadband to an entire community.  There are many unanswered questions and any application may be a long shot, but it would be a game-changer for Duluth.  I think it’s worth putting our best foot forward and see what happens…  If you want to help out, check the bottom of the post.  See you around…  Don

Mayor Don Ness has indicated the City of Duluth‘s intent to pursue a partnership with Google to bring fiber-to-home connections to city residents.  Google plans to select a community to test ultra-high speed connections at more than a gigabit per second later this year through a competitive process.

The following is a statement from Mayor Ness on the city’s intent:

We want Duluth, Minnesota to be at the forefront of a new gigaband revolution in America.  For America to be competitive into the future, we need to be aggressive at investing in our data infrastructure.  To unfairly paraphrase Tip O’Neill “All bandwidth use is local” – Google’s community initiative will be a powerful tool to demonstrate the positive impact of local broadband improvements.

Duluth is a city which has successfully reinvented itself.  Once a poster-child for post-industrial decline (nation’s second-highest unemployment in 1983), Duluth is now a healthy regional center with creative entrepreneurs who are drawn to Duluth for its authentic north woods spirit and natural beauty.

Duluth is successful because of the spirit of the people who live here – by giving gigaband fiber to these folks, unimaginable success would be possible.  We have leaders who are aggressively looking for the next big idea, the next game-changer.

Our nation’s rebirth will be found in places like Duluth – cities who have tasted the bitter pill of decline and have had the courage to set a different course.  Duluth is not yet the city we want to be, but we’re making progress.  And with this partnership with Google, we will be so much more.

Please join our efforts.  Please visit Google’s nomination page to nominate Duluth.  And send an e-mail to giga.for.duluth@gmail.com to join the team.  More to come…

Don Ness

Mayor of Duluth

28 thoughts on “Gigabyte broadband from Google – in Duluth?”

  4. baci

    this is totally a WOOOT! I volunteer brian barber (and me) for the promo video effort. WTG Don!!! Let’s do it!!!!!

  5. Mickey

    I’m incredibly thrilled to see this response from the Mayor’s office! Let’s make it happen, people!

  7. mevdev

    Admin, could you change the link for the DNT, it shows dulutnewstribute.com and is showing a squatting page.

  8. wildgoose

    Is Donny doing his own posts? Either way it’s cool that he shared this with us in this way. Very Broadband of him.

    I’m in, I’ll make a request or work on a promotional campaign if someone points me in the right direction. This is a great idea and I agree we are a fantastic fit.

  11. Sam

    Ha! I emailed him about this a couple of days ago. By his response I didn’t think he took it that seriously… Guess I was wrong!

  12. Don Ness

    The more creativity we can show, the better – videos, animation, songs, applications, and/or visioning as to what this would mean to Duluth would all be great. My sense is if we get out front on this we could make a big impact on Google as a city who REALLY wants to make this happen.

    Imagine the impact! It would transform our economy and provide endless opportunity.

    Thanks for your help and enthusiasm.

    ps – of course I write my own posts…

  13. baci

    how about a gig or concert…webcast homegrown?? whats the timeline on this. Actually a webcast of HG events would demonstrate or ability to use that type of connectivity as a community building tool. Can we organize a series of webcast/livestream events? How about fresh water issues … I’d love to participate in a working group. We can use the HCIS theater as a meeting spot.

  14. markmoesch

    Is anybody using google wave yet? I know it exists and that it could be cool and useful but don’t know how to develop in it (also I have my plate full working to start a charter elementary school, if interested in that, let me know)

  16. hbh

    *laughs*

    The day Donny has a staff to write his emails, we’ll know he’s made us so rich we can all eat grapes fed to us by the shiny shiny robots.

  18. huitz

    We have a decent steam tunnel infrastructure in the downtown area that could be used. They didn’t specify how the fiber is set up.

    Elsewhere, I’ve helped run fiber under-ground once (grunt man). It’s a pain in the arse. But that’s different; we had to use an existing conduit that had a small diameter. Lot’s of lube and pulling :^)

    Most likely big profile communities will win the prize, like Berkely area or Seattle or Houston. I’ll just laugh if they choose a suburban area near Redmond.

    I have to admit, though, having Duluth further on the radar would be cool.

  20. Dan Kohlhaas

    I beleive this is a HUGE opportunity for the city of Duluth. Not just the promotion it will bring, but more so the much needed competition it will give “The Monopoly” (a.k.a. Charter Communications).

    Thank you, Mayor Ness, for getting behind this…now let’s get organized and get this done!

  22. baci

    “Local” cable and phone companies aren’t so local. And, as I read it, they’ll actually have access to the Google fiber too.

  23. Ripley

    What a wonderful thing this would be for our community and all of the great things that this entails. Sign me up if I can help in any way. Let’s get behind this project all the way.

  25. gorplady

    There is a trackback from Topeka, Kansas! They’re campaigning, too! We can kick those Munchkins from Kansas any day! Down with Topeka!

  27. Anna

    Time to pull out the big guns. Lit Drop on Sat. 3-13 along with Casting Call for Google Twin Ports Movie….Be Present!

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