Superfast Internet is Coming, Thanks to Google

Yesterday, google announced a plan to build its own ultra high-speed broadband network with speeds more than 100 times faster than what we have now.

This is great news!

But not for us, right now anyway. This network is just a test that will be rolled out slowly to at least 50,000 and up to 500,000 homes in select communities. The test is not a toe in the water of the ISP cesspool, but “rather an effort to push the industry into offering faster internet access at a lower cost.” That sounds like a noble deed to me, so thank you google.

Imagine what we could do with internet speeds up to 100 times faster than what we have now.

Google offers a few examples including advancing the quality of medical care for rural patients and allowing students around the world to attend 3D virtual lectures. You could download full-length, hi-def movies in about five minutes. Ok, but I already stream in hi-def on my 360.

You could have a remote 3D holographic doctor pop up in your living room and diagnose you. Well they didn’t say that but I’m sure someone will make an app for it. Who wouldn’t want their living room to be the waiting room?

Would this mean never having to wait for a page to load again?  Would this mean always being FIRST?

What would this mean for gaming? Oh man. Google mentioned 3D a couple of times in their blog post and I presume online gaming would take a few leaps forward once the games and consoles caught up to ultranet speeds.

Part of the reason that google is running the test is because it’s almost impossible to imagine what this kind of jump forward in network speeds would mean exactly. They want it to be open and competitive and to see what kinds of applications, devices, and interfaces become possible with a substantial speed boost.

To google, we had mixed opinions about your Super Bowl commercial. Did you need that? You’re also drawing a lot of blank faces with Buzz. Do you need that? You guys aren’t “me too”, you’re “me first”, right?

But with this hyperspeed internet testing, this building a hot rod while all the neighbors drive Priae, this bullying of the bullies who have no reason to innovate, I like it. Even though it will probably take more than a decade before most of us get the big speed upgraydd (two D’s for a double dose of Downloadin’), it’s good to know that we’re moving forward.

To the lucky thousands who will soon be zooming through supercyberspace, passing us by like flashy, Ferrari driving power brokers, please remember what it was like to have regular high-speed internet. We know you’ll never play COD with us again because our lag will suck. At least come down here sometime to tell us about what it’s like.