New Orleans May Get Google Fiber; Others Hope

4:50 PM - April 1, 2010 - By Kevin Parrish - Source : Tom's Guide US

A New Orleans tech blog claims that Google is in talks with the city's mayor.

Thursday a New Orleans tech blog said that Google recently made a trip to the city to attend its annual festival of entrepreneurship, hosted by The Idea Village. While there, Google visited with Mayor Landrieu and (supposedly) discussed the city's neighborhoods and demographics so that the search engine giant could determine where to plant its fiber expansion.

"Google is shopping for a location for a satellite campus," the blog said. "A campus that will bring jobs and a robust fiber network that would be used by the surrounding neighborhoods. A new campus would allow Google to monitor the fiber networks bandwidth usage at the closest point of activity."

But the tech blog also points out a few negative factors: hurricanes and high business taxes. If Google uses the campus primarily as monitoring post, then the company may not be entitled to tax credit HBO and "other media companies" already receive. There was also a question about local workers and Google's "strict hiring practices," meaning it may be difficult for locals to "curb their creative free spirit" and adapt to Google's "precise scientific method."

"New Orleans has been getting a lot of attention lately as a destination for the creative and tech minded entrepreneurs, and Google wants to be part of that," the blog claims.

Currently Google has not made any formal announcements about where it plans to set up its satellite campus.

Comments

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Comments

JohnnyLucky 04/02/2010 4:47 AM

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I assume consumers get to test the fiber optic system. Do they get to test it for free?

Sounds like Google is trying to maintain strict control over employees.

Judguh 04/02/2010 6:27 AM

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IMO, I'd like to see Duluth, MN to get it before New Orleans. I haven't heard anything cool or interesting that New Orleans has done compared to Duluth.

sicpric 04/02/2010 7:02 AM

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Being from New Orleans, I think this would be awesome! But, New Orleans is fairly behind times when it comes to technology. Bourbon Street on the other hand, makes up for all that.

mtyermom 04/02/2010 7:41 AM

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Quote :There was also a question about local workers and Google's "strict hiring practices," meaning it may be difficult for locals to "curb their creative free spirit" and adapt to Google's "precise scientific method."

April Fools?

ben850 04/02/2010 7:52 AM

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i hope it's waterproof

anamaniac 04/02/2010 9:09 AM

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mtyermom :
April Fools?

Obviously.
Half of Google's staff are stoners, and I can only assume that Kevin was refering to stoners.
Perfect match! New Orleans it is.

anamaniac 04/02/2010 10:42 AM

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Hilarion 04/02/2010 2:58 PM

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So when NO finally goes under the ocean that will be a waste of resources.

Anonymous 04/02/2010 3:25 PM

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I also think Duluth, MN should get it. Look at this site they put up for it!

http://www.googletwinports.com/

smmccotter 04/02/2010 4:29 PM

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Duluth should definitely get it..mostly cause I live there

anamaniac 04/02/2010 8:43 PM

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People down voting my comment because I don't know American cities and states very well?
I could always go to Toms UK.
Nah.

Anonymous 04/02/2010 10:45 PM

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Hi Toms Guide,

Thanks for picking up our story but it was an April Fool's joke. While we would love for fiber to come to New Orleans we have to wait and see like everyone else.

Also to the commenters that have something negative to say about New Orleans. Come down to our city and see for yourself. No we are not underwater and yes we still are rebuilding in certain parts. But there is plenty of positive things going on in our city. Don't believe everything main stream media tells you.

-Chris B
Co-Founder
NewOrleans Tech

hoof_hearted 04/04/2010 6:33 AM

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I guess no one here including the editor bothered to read the whole article, especially the end where it clearly states this news as an April Fools joke.