Google Fiber network speed test boasts impressive results

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wusklcNKDZc&feature=player_embedded]

Remember Google Fiber? That little experiment determined to bring “universal, ultra high-speed Internet access”, making for a network “100 times faster than what most Americans have access to”. Seems like those claims might not be too far off if you believe the rather impressive speed test below, posted by Redditor TheTeam who claims to have just received access to the network.

Google announced last year their dreams of “downloading a high-definition, full-length feature film in less than five minutes” via the experimental Google Fiber network. The process of building and testing networks in select cities is already underway, with the first city in the community selection process set to be announced by the end of the year. However, an initial experiment at Standford University and the surrounding area started rolling out as early as last month, according to a report from PaloAltoPatch.

Google explains:

We’ve reached an agreement with Stanford University to build an ultra-high speed broadband network to the university’s Residential Subdivision, a group of approximately 850 faculty- and staff-owned homes on campus. Through this trial, we plan to offer Internet speeds up to 1 gigabit per second—more than 100 times faster than what most people have access to today. We plan to start breaking ground in early 2011.

While a spokesperson told PaloAltoPatch the network would come with a “fee to purchase and install Google Fiber from the property line in [one’s] home will be $249 for professional installation and $49 for self-installation,”  TheTeam noted residents are getting free access to the network for a year.

While many are treating Google Fiber as one of the company’s pet projects, it’s quite clear there is a ton of investment going into the testing and building of these super fast networks. Anyone that has ever had issues with their ISP will be able to rest assured that Google too feels consumers need a better alternative. Google has big plans for the future of the internet and, more importantly, the way in which you access it:

From Google:

Our goal is to experiment with new ways to help make Internet access better and faster for everyone. Here are some specific things that we have in mind:

• Next generation apps: We want to see what developers and users can do with ultra high-speeds, whether it’s creating new bandwidth-intensive “killer apps” and services, or other uses we can’t yet imagine.
• New deployment techniques: We’ll test new ways to build fiber networks, and to help inform and support deployments elsewhere, we’ll share key lessons learned with the world.
• Openness and choice: We’ll operate an “open access” network, giving users the choice of multiple service providers. And consistent with our past advocacy, we’ll manage our network in an open, non-discriminatory and transparent way.