Google

Google has gotten the green light for the first expansion of Google Fiber, the Internet and video service the Web giant offers to the twin cities of Kansas City.

Google announced today that the Kansas City suburb of Olathe, Kan., (population 125,000) would be getting access to the high-speed Internet service after the Olathe city council approved the company's service roll-out proposal. Google, which didn't offer any launch specifics, said it was also poised to launch service in other locations.

"We think that Fiber and widespread Internet access will help to create jobs, grow local businesses, and make Olathe even stronger as it grows," Rachel Hack, a Google Fiber community manager, wrote on the company's fiber blog. "Hopefully, this is the first of several announcements that we'll be able to make about bringing Google Fiber to additional cities in the KC metro area; so stay tuned."

The expansion comes less than nine months after Google launched its 1-gigabit-per-second broadband service in Kansas City and unveiled a new interactive television service called Google Fiber TV. Google offers three packages, including the high-end $120 a month for the Gigabit and Fiber TV service package, $70 for 1Gbps broadband only, and the cost-free but limited-time service of 5Mbps download speeds and 1Mbps uploads.

For an introductory period, people who sign up for the two services won't have to pay the $300 construction fee.