Get your name in for Google Fiber Optic Services: [13th Feb 2010]

>>> Google is to conduct a trial of a fiber optics network which could increase Internet speeds by as much as 100 times those available today to 1gigabit. The company expect to trial the new system on up to 500,000 homes in the US and claim that their pricing structure will be competitive. Towns and cities which are near Google's already existing fiber optic network are being asked to nominate themselves for the trial before March 26. According to the official Google blog, the trial is part of their aim to allow developers to create huge applications and services beyond that which users could currently imagine. They also want to test new ways of building fiber networks in order to support and inform other areas and countries. They will also ensure the network is open access allowing other service providers the chance to compete.


>>> Comcast has revealed that its fourth quarter profit figures have more than doubled as the company's costs have declined and more subscribers have come on board. The numbers of new customers increased to 14.9m - or by 6.7%. The results are in excess of what Wall Street analysts were predicting. Comcast chairman Brian Roberts did say however, that these results could change at any time as things in this market tend to fluctuate.

Comcast have also announced the roll out of a new brand for its services known as XFINITY (just as the British Company BT releases it's INFINITY product!). The parent company will still be known as ComCast, but the TV, Internet and voice services will be rebranded. Steve Kipp from Comcast explained the change by saying that the investment made in the last year has meant that they needed a way to wrap all the improvements up under one new brand name.


>>> AT&T have made the trip to the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. an improved experience for their customers after they installed 3G wireless broadband network systems into 9 of the museums buildings. The improvement is part of an extension to their network which has seen indoor broadband becoming available to their customers in a number of high profile Washington D.C buildings including a number of large hotels. They have also invested in High Speed Packet Access technologies which will mean even faster speeds for mobile users in 2010 and 2011.


>>> Verizon Wireless have announced that their business users can now use Mobile Broadband PC cards and USB modems with Location Based Services for navigation. Mike Lamman of Verizon commented on the move by saying that enabling the GPS receivers can improve the way their applications are used by businesses. The applications available include guided navigation, route planning, Geographic Information systems and vehicle tracking.


>>> Experts from the FCC have expressed some concern over the introduction of the iPad and the increase in demand for mobile broadband it may create. Phil Bellaria and John Leibovitz said on their official blog that the new national broadband plan should alleviate some of the problems by suggesting ways that providers can access more spectrum. They add that the iPad highlights an area of consumption which is appealing to people and staying globally competitive is essential.

Despite this, the FCC is using the national broadband plan as a way to encourage the use of wireless devices and applications in the healthcare field. The FCC will analyze IT applications in the arena of health including health record systems, video conferencing and remote monitoring. There are currently 5000 different applications for use in this field with mobiles and smartphones, which will need to categorized for the treatment area it is designed for and for the customer feedback it has received.


>>> The latest report from market intelligence firm Instat has shown that US residential broadband speeds increased by 28% during 2009. The results were highest among cable and fixed wireless subscribers. Those using cable found that their increase in speed was twice that which fiber-to-the-home users experienced. The average download speed is now 7.12Mbps.