City aiming to woo Google

CITY HALL — The mayor of Topeka, Kansas signed a proclamation renaming the city “Google” for the month of March. The mayor of Duluth, Minn. jumped into icy Lake Superior to proclaim his love for the Internet giant in a video posted on YouTube.

Glendale officials this week joined the fray — launching a “Google4Glendale” Website as a part of its campaign to be chosen as a test site for Google’s experimental high-speed Internet system.

Under the company’s “Google Fiber for Communities” pilot program, one or more cities will serve as test locations for the the company’s super high-speed fiber optic network. The high-speed Internet service will be available to all residents and businesses at a competitive price, officials said.

To be considered, the city must have a population between 50,000 and 500,000 and easy access to utility infrastructure for quick installation of the network, according to the company. Level of community support, climate, local resources, approved construction methods and local regulatory issues will also be taken into account.

When the program was announced last month, along with a request for information from interested communities, Google officials said it would be a way for the company to attempt further breakthroughs in Internet technology. The network is projected to provide customers with bandwidth 100 times greater than what is typically offered by cable providers.

“We’re doing this because we want to experiment with new ways to make the web better and faster for everyone, allowing applications that would be impossible today,” James Kelly, a product manager on Google’s infrastructure team, said in a February video release.

In recent weeks, cities across the country have initiated massive marketing campaigns and publicity stunts to attract Google’s attention.

For its part, Glendale this week rolled out a special Website, www.google4glendale.com, where residents and other interested parties can join the campaign as city officials compile the official application packet.

City officials said Glendale’s warm climate, utility ownership and proximity to a major media market should make it stand out during the selection process.