The latest in superfast telecomm is the Gigabit network, a network which Google had cities compete for to be granted the prototype (Kansas City, Kansas won).
The network is much faster and consequently better for research, so naturally, it’s of interest to the academic world. Gig. U is an academic organization that is urging corporate sponsors and donors to help build Gigabit networks in communities across the county. The first wave of planned installations will be in 29 college campuses, including football schools such as Michigan-Ann Arbor, Florida-Gainesville, and Arizona State University and others such as the University of Alaska and the University of Hawaii (why the non-contiguous?)
Gig U. also touts the economic boost potential of a Gigabit network, claiming it can stimulate the economies of surrounding communities besides just offering them faster internet.
However, the project is merely in its infancy now and they don’t plan to actually start construction on the Gigabit networks for “several years.”
[via Engadget]
