History:
Google Fiber is part of the Access division of Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc. The service was first brought to market in December of 2012. In 2013 the service was tested in Austin, Texas and Provo, Utah. The service continued to expand over the next few years to various urban areas in the United States and offers internet service to tens of thousands of residential and business customers across the country.
In 2016, Google acquired the internet service provider Webpass, which was founded back in 2003. Google then merged their Fiber service and Webpass together to form the current service offering which is known as Google Fiber Webpass.
For now, Google Fiber Webpass is limited to 11 cities around the United States. Those current cities are: Seattle, Emeryville, Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, San Diego, Denver, Chicago, Nashville, Austin and Miami.
Unfortunately for the more rural residents in the United States the future expansion of the Google Fiber Webpass service seems to be focused on more urban areas. A big reason for that is the need for a state-of-the-art fiber network. Those are expensive to build in cities, let alone in the middle of the countryside.
Internet:
If you are lucky enough to live in a city where Google Fiber Webpass is available it’s a phenomenal internet service provider (ISP). There are several factors that set Google Fiber Webpass apart from the competition. One of the best is the fact that the service has zero hidden fees and offers free installation for all of their customers. Not only that, but Google Fiber Webpass has no contracts, which means people can cancel their service at any time for any reason.
Like all ISPs Google offers several tiers of internet service. Depending on where you are, you might even have access to a completely free tier of service which is part of Google’s long-term ambition to bring internet access to the world. Speeds vary from 100 Mbps all the way up to 1 Gbps. In addition, none of the Webpass plans offer any kind of data cap, that means unlimited data at the highest speeds 24/7.
Google works hard to make their service as affordable as possible which is why they offer the option to pay monthly or save money and pay annually.
Phone:
Google Fiber Webpass also offers plans that allow you to bundle their internet service with a Fiber Phone plan. Fiber Phone is powered by Google Voice which means you can hook it up to your existing number, get transcribed voicemails sent directly to your email and utilize Google’s highly-touted phone screening service to avoid unwanted conversations. If you want a home phone connection, it’s hard to find a better one than Fiber Phone.
Television:
Google Fiber Webpass also offers a bundle that includes live television. If you have a fast enough connection, that television can be experienced in 4K Ultra HD without any buffering or interruptions. However, since the service works through the internet and not cable, you will have to use a television or device (like a chromecast) that connects your television to your internet network.
Google Fiber Webpass’ biggest issue is its extremely limited service area. If you are lucky enough to live somewhere where this ISP operates, it is certainly worth taking a look at. The service, price point and bundle options make it so there should be a feasible option for every budget and service need.
