Community launches support portal for Google gigabit fiber

Philadelphia’s tech community is looking for your support to bring Google to our backyard.
After announcing last week its intent to apply to be a test bed for Google’s ultra-high speed fiber, city officials have collaborated with community developers to launch an external initiative to drum up buzz for its proposal.
Working at Independents Hall over the weekend, the groups helped launch a portal – at gigabitphilly.com – that solicits feedback from local users to help fulfill Google’s Request For Information. The page drives home Philadelphia’s notability as a “city of firsts,” much like it would be for Google’s broadband pilot program.

Councilman Bill Green stars in a video on the site listing some of Philadelphia’s perks, like its history with Ben Franklin’s printing press and the ENIAC computer, and the city’s university, pharmaceutical and life sciences presence. Not forgotten, too, is Philadelphia’s thriving technology community.
Green has been an active participant in helping shape the city’s proposal, working alongside Chief Technology Officer Allan Frank, officials in the Division of Technology and members of the community. The groups have convened weekly over the past several weeks to push the application forward.
Other cities, like Baltimore and Topeka, Kansas, have launched community public relations pitches to Google, much like Philadelphia.
Google’s deadline for proposals ends on Friday, March 26.