Gigabit Philly relaunches as Gigabit City, bigger goal with or without Google

Update on 4/6/10 @ 2:56 p.m. on other collaboration
As expected, the Philadelphia initiative to court Google and its ultra-high speed broadband Web access today relaunched its Web site. But Blake Jennelle says it’s so much more.
Recast as Gigabit City, from its previous incarnation as Gigabit Philly, the Philly Startup Leaders co-founder who worked with other community members and city officials on the project says the Google pitch is just a starting point.

“It’s about bringing gigabit to Philly with or without Google,” Jennelle says. “It’s about teaming up with other communities around the world who feel the same way. It’s about keeping the global gigabit movement going now that the Google competition is over and the communities who mobilized for it no longer know what to do.”
On his personal blog, Jennelle outlined why the initiative has to expand beyond pursuing Google’s “favor.”
The site is still soliciting suggestions on important uses for Internet speeds estimated to be as much as 100 times faster than those seen in most American households, but its Genius Grant for the best has grown to more than $10,000, in addition to $1,000 people’s choice award.
“Philly’s grassroots, do-it-yourself attitude makes us natural community organizers for this effort,” Jennelle says.
Updated: Oakland-based IT consultant Craig Settles has also called for uniting the municipalities that applied for the Google experiment.