Google Fiber Expanding to Olathe, Kansas

Google is extending its super-fast Google Fiber Internet service to Olathe, Kan., the fifth largest city in Kansas with a population of about 125,000 people, the Web giant has announced.

The Olathe City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve an agreement to bring Google Fiber to the city, paving the way for the 1 gigabit Internet service, which is currently rolling out in nearby Kansas City. Google still has "a lot of planning and engineering work" to do before it's ready to bring Fiber to Olathe, but will announce details about pre-registration and construction timing once it gets the process underway, Google Fiber community manager Rachel Hack wrote in a Tuesday blog post.

"Olathe has become one of the fastest-growing cities in Kansas and has attracted an influx of new businesses and residents," Hack wrote. "They've all noticed what a great community Olathe is, and so have we."

Access to Google Fiber Internet service will help create jobs and grow local businesses, she added. Residents in Olathe have "eagerly anticipated" the availability of Google Fiber, according to an announcement from the city.

"We are excited to work in partnership with Google to bring this next-generation fiber optic system to Olathe homes, schools and businesses," Olathe Mayor Michael Copeland said in the statement. 

The expansion will not change Google's construction plans to bring Google Fiber to eligible homes in Kansas City, Kan. and Central Kansas City, Mo., Google said. The Web giant back in November officially started to hook up homes in the Kansas City metro area.

Google says its Fiber service offers access to Internet speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second, which is 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today. Google Fiber is the fastest ISP in the U.S., according to February stats from Netflix.