Google Fiber begins customer signups in Charlotte

Google Fiber says it is open for business in Charlotte, NC. The gigabit broadband service provider says that residents -- and small businesses -- in the city's Highland Creek neighborhood can now sign up for service via the company's fiber to the home (FTTH) network.

Residents of Highland Creek can choose from among three plans:

1. Fiber 1000 + TV, a bundle of video and gigabit internet services for $130 per month with no installation fee
2. Fiber 1000, a gigabit internet only service for $70 a month and no installation fee
3. Fiber 100, a 100-Mbps internet service for $50 each month and no installation fee.
   

Subscribers can add Fiber Phone service for $10 a month. The company says it also will launch a 25 Mbps service for $15 a month in some areas of the community as well as a free gigabit internet service to residents in certain public and affordable housing buildings.

Google Fiber also will offer three services to small businesses: the gigabit Fiber Business 1000 for $250 per month, the 250-Mbps Fiber Business 250 for $100 a month, and the 100 Mbps Fiber Business 100 for $70 each month. Charlotte is the first market in which these services are on offer. Google Fiber says it plans to replace its Early Access plan program for small businesses in its other markets with these offerings beginning this August.

The broadband provider added Charlotte to its planned list of markets in January 2015 (see "Google Fiber to bring FTTH to four southeastern cities, looks at five more"). The company says it plans to begin sign ups within the city's Prosperity Village neighborhood later this year. FTTH construction in other neighborhoods is ongoing.

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