Google Fiber plans to wire more single-family homes

By Collin Kelley

When Google Fiber announced in 2015 it would bring its highspeed internet to metro Atlanta, there was a rapturous reception by both city leaders and potential customers looking for better service.

Work crews descended on the city to run fiber optic cable to apartments and condos and a prominent office was opened – and since closed – at Ponce City Market, but spiraling costs to run cable to singlefamily homes saw Google hit pause on the rollout around the end of 2017.

Until now.

On Oct. 7, Google Fiber made a surprise announcement on its website that it “recently started actively expanding our network in single-family residential neighborhoods.”

Google Fiber said it would continue to expand its multi-family presence (even encouraging property owners and mangers to get in touch), but added “we’re super excited to have construction crews building out our network in more neighborhoods in Atlanta.”

Officials said it had already wired a “significant number” of single-family homes from “Sweet Auburn to Garden Hills.”

“Once we’ve completed those builds, construction efforts will move north across the city. Keep an eye out for door hangers in your neighborhood or sign-up for our email list for the latest on our activities in Atlanta.”

Daynise Joseph, Google Fiber’s government and community affairs manager, said Oct. 8 that the company had quietly continued to hook up apartments and condos in the city that were interested in the service.

“A few years ago, we started hooking up single-family homes in the Buckhead area, including parts of Peachtree Park, Pine Hills, and Brookhaven,” Joseph said. “Expanding in those areas is our focus for the rest of 2021.”

She said Google would continue to work on leasing third party fiber lines, which means less construction interruptions for the community.

Joseph said thousands of legacy customers would see no change in service as the expansion commences. Google Fiber has two packages available to customers: 1 gig for $70 per month or 2 gigs for $100 per month.

And while the shuttered Google Fiber space at Ponce City Market won’t reopen, a new retail space is being sought now, official said.