KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Google Fiber announced it will start offering its services to small businesses in select areas. Businesses can sign up now through an early access program.
Brad Slaughter, with 19 Below, a production company in downtown, has been testing Google fiber out for months as part of a pilot program.
“We have files that we wouldn’t even try to upload before we got Google fiber and now we can upload those and do it quickly,” Slaughter said. “I think it’s a big advantage to be able to work that much more quickly.”
Assistant City Manager Rick Usher said small business owners have been asking him for years when Google Fiber would be available to them. Usher said the city is already seeing the economic benefits.
“We’ve seen some growth in home-based business,” he said. “There are work from home opportunities now that people have reliable internet connections.”
Usher told FOX 4 he expects Google Fiber to draw in more businesses to the city, especially over the next two to four years.
Slaughter said once the free pilot program is over 19 Below will continue to use Google fiber. He hopes other area businesses will benefit the same way.