BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) — Google Fiber is coming to Bellevue after the city council unanimously voted on a decision at their last meeting. Google said the goal of the new service is to provide high-speed internet for as many residents and businesses as possible.
But what is fiber optic technology? It's physical strands of fiberglass used to send data and Google said it's almost as fast as the speed of light. As the owner of Affordable Computer Repair, Steven Nickerson welcomes the deal with Google.
"It'd be great if I could have something, just reliable. It doesn't even have to be fast, if it's just reliable that'd be nice," he said.
Fiber optics isn't new to Bellevue, as there are currently two other companies using it. The difference is they offer up to one gigabyte of service, whereas Google will offer up to eight. It's something that could make a big difference for people like Steven and his business, where internet slowdowns are sometimes common.
"It could be all day you know, normally in the mornings it's probably two or three hours. You know, it's always when you need it," he said.
Bellevue is the second city in Nebraska to welcome Google Fiber after Omaha.
"We're excited to have Google," said Mayor of Bellevue Rusty Hike. "I've had a lot of people calling, just — they've already heard the news and they're just, they can't believe we're getting it."
The mayor said the city has been working on a deal with Google for over a year.
"With more and more people using smart appliances in their home and everything, the demand for higher speed internet has kind of gone through the roof," he said.
While plans have been approved for the fiber optics, the mayor said it will take around two years until Bellevue sees the network become available. Right now, they're in the early planning stages and customers can start signing up in late spring.
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