Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy recently requested that Google turn to his city as a test site for the company’s “Fiber to Communities” project. Residents of homes in Jersey City only stand to benefit should the internet giant choose New Jersey’s second-largest city for the program.
Per Healy’s letter, “By virtue of its geographic size, its population density, its population diversity, the presence of many of the world’s major financial entities and creativity of its residents, the City of Jersey City can provide Google a high probability of success in your ‘Fiber to Communities’ initiative,” (www.cityofjerseycity.com).
Google’s “Fiber to Communities” project plans “to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the United States. We’ll deliver internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today with 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. We plan to offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people,” (www.cityofjerseycity.com).
Homes in Jersey City attract residents by providing – in addition to exceptionally valuable properties – access to world-class cultural, shopping, dining and entertainment options. Furthermore, Jersey City is a short car, train or ferry ride to Manhattan, which offers an abundance of entertainment choices on its own.
Should homes in Jersey City be selected to participate in the “Fiber to Communities” project, the city of 240,000 could be viewed as even more appealing to prospective residents.
The “Fiber to Communities” project requires various municipal government departments to supply information regarding population, area, terrain and access to utility poles, among other things. In addition, Google has asked that individuals fill out a community nomination form.
With 1 gigabit per second broadband networks, according to www.cityofjerseycity.com, homes in Jersey City could offer the following:
• Work from home. Use my car less. Save the planet.
• Download movies and watch streaming video.
• Build the next hulu.
• Cut my research time in half.
The bottom line is homes in Jersey City have the chance to gain a competitive advantage over other municipalities in the Garden State and across the country. The deadline for application is March 26, 2010.
