Google Fiber could soon be your new ISP — if you live in these states

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High-speed broadband expansion is resuming after five years

Google Fiber
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

After being on hold for five years, Google’s high-speed broadband internet service Google Fiber is finally expanding to new cities and states in the U.S.

As reported by ZDNet, in a new blog post CEO Dinni Jain explained that the company is currently in talks with city leaders in Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Idaho to bring its fiber-to-the-home service to their communities.

Going forward, these states will be Google Fiber’s main focus over the next several years but it will also work to continue expanding its presence in Atlanta, Austin, Nashville, Salt Lake City and other metro areas where its service is currently available.

Why the Google Fiber expansion stopped

internet

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Google Fiber’s expansion across the U.S. was moving forward at a decent pace up until 2016 when its CEO at the time, Graig Barratt, stepped down. The service itself launched back in 2012 with the aim of disrupting the broadband market in the U.S. which has historically been dominated by both Comcast and AT&T. 

Barrat’s departure led to Google Fiber pausing its rollout for potential Fiber cities including Los Angeles, Dallas, Tampa, Jacksonville, Portland, Phoenix, San Diego, San Jose and Oklahoma City. 

While all of these cities never did get high-speed broadband from the search giant, San Diego is now a Google Fiber Webpass city where point-to-point wireless internet is available for offices, apartments and other high-occupancy buildings thanks to the installation of rooftop antennas.

Not a nationwide rollout

Although Google Fiber has restarted its expansion efforts, if you don’t live in Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada or Idaho, you may be out of luck.

In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Jain explained to the news outlet that the company isn’t planning on a nationwide rollout, saying:

"There was an impression 10 years ago that Google Fiber was trying to build the entire country. What we are gesturing here is, 'No, we are not trying to build the entire country.'"

While this could certainly change, Google Fiber has been around for a decade now and if the company wanted to cover the whole U.S. in high-speed broadband, it likely would have done so already.

Read next: Prime Early Access Sale could be the perfect opportunity to break free from your ISP. 

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Anthony Spadafora
Anthony Spadafora
Managing Editor Security and Home Office

Anthony Spadafora is the managing editor for security and home office furniture at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches to password managers and the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. He also reviews standing desks, office chairs and other home office accessories with a penchant for building desk setups. Before joining the team, Anthony wrote for ITProPortal while living in Korea and later for TechRadar Pro after moving back to the US. Based in Houston, Texas, when he’s not writing Anthony can be found tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.