Troy Hoping to Partner with Google

An article in Friday’s The Record announced that Mayor Tutunjian “plans to respond to a request for information from Google relating to the company’s recently-announced plans to build and test ultra-high speed broadband networks in communities across the nation.” Google plans to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks that will provide speeds up to 100 times faster than typical service, with download speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second through fiber-optic connections. Troy intends to respond to Google’s RFI, which is the first step in the company’s process of selecting test communities.
Councilman Ken Zalewski, D-District 5, is also hoping that Google will choose Troy as a trial location. He has listed several steps, below, that community members can take to help build support for the proposal, which is one of the factors that Google will consider in selecting trial communities.
What you can do:
1. Spread the word.  Forward this article to everyone you know in the city. Talk to your neighbors and friends.  Encourage local business, education, and government officials to get involved.  Our Mayor is already on board and the city will be submitting a response to the RFI.  To have RPI, Sage, and HVCC administrators behind this would add more strength to our submission.

2. Nominate Troy. You will answer some questions about yourself, your neighborhood/community, your reasons for wanting this, and your current Internet service.  Creative submissions are encouraged, including videos.

3. Become a Facebook fan.  Join the new Facebook page created for this effort at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Troy-NY-deserves-Googles-1GB-hi-speed-internet-connection/298283647502

According to Councilmember Zalewski, “A Google broadband roll-out would be huge for our city.  It would not only bring low-cost high-speed Internet service to many households, it would also bring a tremendous amount of positive attention to our community.  My ultimate goal is to work with Google in opening a satellite office on our riverfront.  Imagine replacing some of the old derelict industrial buildings on the riverfront with a new, modern office complex that creates potentially hundreds of new jobs. Getting Google to come to Troy is the first step…”

Please join in the effort!