Google Fiber KCK: 1 Gbps for $70/mo?

Read some good news today about internet access pricing which is somewhat related to the Google Fiber Kansas City ultra high-speed network project. Sonic.net, a California ISP, rolled out 1 Gbps fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) service for $69.95/mo.

Sonic.net announced on its blog several months ago that it was selected by Google to:

"operate and support the trial fiber-to-the-home network Google is building at Stanford University" to "test new fiber construction and operation methods, while delivering full gigabit speeds to approximately 850 faculty and staff owned homes on campus."

The Stanford project and Sonic.net's other gigabit service in Sebastopol, CA, are limited scope projects, which have installation cost advantages compared to rolling out gigabit service community-wide in Kansas City, but it's nice to have Sonic.net connected to both Google and a $69.95/mo 1 Gbps service plan. And the Sebastopol $69.95 plan even includes two phone lines. If you don't feel the need for speed, you can save $30/mo and limit yourself to 'only' 100 Mbps service...

Hmmm...I wonder if the 1 Gbps service extends to Tim O'Reilly's house and to the O'Reilly Media facilities, and whether the Foo Health Camp participants will be use the 1 Gbps access during that camp. Imagine the unique and interesting distance health care sessions they will have with that kind of speed! Providing 1 Gbps service to the Foo Camp would also be a good load test and learning opportunity for Sonic.net. Maybe the KU Cancer Center can participate remotely in the Foo Health Camp 2011.

Google has not announced pricing yet for the Google Fiber KC project, but the Sonic.net pricing sets a good precedent and shines out as a beacon of hope for those who want to speed unfettered down the Internet Autobahn.

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