Google Fiber in North Carolina to be announced this week, work might start in April

By Jason Hahn Published January 25, 2015

Google Fiber’s next stop appears to be North Carolina, according to sources and some connect-the-dots conjecturing. An announcement could be made as early as this week.

Local officials in Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte received vague “save the date” invitations from Google for Jan. 28 and 29. A source speaking to WRAL TechWire says a formal announcement could be made this week, though Google remains mum on the exact reason for these evening events.

Recommended Videos

Google is already seeking bids to begin laying out its fiber network as early as April, according to a source speaking anonymously to WRAL TechWire. The tech giant has been in talks with local government officials in Raleigh and Cary about access and zoning for placing fiber huts. To add credence to this speculation, on Dec. 2, Google created a Google Fiber company in North Carolina.

Last February, Google added Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham to its list of nine potential Google Fiber cities.

Google Fiber boasts speeds up to 1Gbps, which the company says is up to 100 times faster than basic broadband speeds. Currently, three U.S. cities can boast about having Google Fiber: Provo, Utah; Kansas City, Kansas/Missouri; and Austin, Texas.

Local businesses in Kansas City have access to Google Fiber for Business, the first time the high-speed network has been offered to businesses.

Former Contributor

Jason Hahn is a part-time freelance writer based in New Jersey. He earned his master's degree in journalism at Northwestern…

Topics

Computing

Sci-fi got the gadgets right, but the vibes wrong

Sci-fi got plenty of consumer tech right, but reality keeps delivering the useful, compromised version of the dream

Officer K looking up at a neon-colored hologram in Blade Runner 2049.

I was recently waiting for an Uber when the GPS decided to lie for sport. The car was somewhere nearby, I was somewhere nearby, and somehow both of us were trapped in that modern ritual of wrong pins, slow turns, vague waving, and "I'm here" messages that help absolutely no one.

That was when I had a very reasonable thought: this is exactly where a hologram of a giant arrow pointing at me would be useful.

Computing

Apple could go back to Intel for chips, but not how you would expect (or dread)

Apple MacBook

Apple and Intel are reportedly exploring a manufacturing partnership that could reshape how future Apple chips are produced. But despite the headline, this does not mean Apple is abandoning Apple Silicon or returning to Intel-powered Macs.

According to a new Wall Street Journal report, Apple and Intel have reached a preliminary agreement for Intel to manufacture some chips designed by Apple. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman later clarified on X that there is still no finalized production agreement in place and discussions remain at an early stage. His post also noted that Apple continues to have concerns about Intel’s manufacturing technology and long-term competitiveness.

Computing

Apple wants you to verify your identity before you get Education discount on products

Apple moving the US Education Store off the honor system also seems about making a globally consistent verification infrastructure that could eventually support more aggressive Education Store expansion.

Computer, Electronics, Laptop

Getting an Apple Education discount in the United States used to be as simple as claiming you’re a student or a teacher; it didn’t need a formal verification. That era is officially over.

Starting May 8, 2026, Apple now requires formal identity verification for all Education Store purchases in the US, ending the informal honor system that was in place for years (via MacRumors).