Last month, the California-based Internet giant announced its plans to build and test an experimental fiber-optic network capable of delivering Internet speeds at one gigabit per second. That's 100 times faster than the national average for fiber-based residential Internet access.
One-gigabit service is not unheard of, but it is not marketed in Alaska and not sold to U.S. residential customers. In this country, ultra-high-speed Internet is mainly used to link corporate, academic and government networks. One-gigabit service is available to households in Japan, Korea, Sweden and Portugal.
Google invited U.S. cities to apply to become a host for its project, saying the high-speed service will be available to 50,000 to 500,000 people, most likely in one or a couple of communities. The service will not be free, according to the company.
Officials heard about the Google project and decided to apply, city spokeswoman Sarah Erkmann said.
This week, the city launched a public-private media campaign called "Googifi Anchorage" in hopes of boosting the city's chance of selection. The campaign asks Anchorage residents to go online to sign a petition in support of the project and upload video testimonials.
The Anchorage campaign is a little less extreme than some in other cities. For example, Topeka, Kan., renamed itself Google for the month of March and the mayor of Duluth, Minn., jumped into Lake Superior as a Google publicity stunt and jokingly proposed naming all of the city's newborns Google Fiber and Googlette Fiber.
Anchorage has until March 26 to submit its proposal to Google. The company has not said when it plans to introduce the new service.
Lance Ahern, a local Internet pioneer who is assisting the city with its proposal, said innovations may result from ultra-fast Internet service for the home.
Among the possibilities is boosting the potential of downloading high-definition video content, he said.
"(Google) wants to see new uses developed," he said.
Officials with General Communication Inc., a statewide telecom company, said GCI is keeping an eye on the Google project and the company isn't sure yet if it presents a competitive threat.
"We're definitely curious any time anyone offers to come in and build an alternate network," said GCI spokesman David Morris.
"We want to make sure if Google comes in, it's fair competition," Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan said this week.
To see the city's media campaign, go to www.GoogifiAK.com.
Find Elizabeth Bluemink online at adn.com/contact/ebluemink or call 257-4317.
Important warning about e-mails purporting to be from the adn.com staff.