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Announced today, Google has chosen Phoenix, Scottsdale & Tempe as potential cities to deliver their ultra high-speed Fiber network to local residents, businesses and education centers. Google Fiber’s broadband network can deliver Internet speeds up to 1 Gigabit – a speed that is 100 times faster than the average broadband network.

As of today, Fiber is only available in Kansas City and Provo, Utah and later this year it will be available in Austin, TX and other cities listed below.

How fast is it? A two-hour high def. video that typically can take one hour to download on a 9.8 Mbps connection will decrease to about 36 seconds with the new connection.

The Valley was one of only nine metro areas chosen as potential sites for the network. Together Phoenix, Scottsdale & Tempe will work with Google teams over the next several months to roll it out.

Phoenix Mayor Stanton recognizes the need for Fiber to boost our economy’s “Innovation Infrastructure” and compete in the 21st century, “Phoenix must not only compete with cities in our own country, but with regions across the globe already outperforming the United States when it comes to Internet infrastructure, Stanton said. “This is the kind of cutting-edge technology that can help life our entrepreneurs, accelerate economic development, offer new education opportunities and improve the lives of everyone in our community.

Soon after the press conference, where all three city mayors, (Stanton (PHX), Mitchell (Tempe) & Lane (Scottsdale)), and Google Fiber announced their partnership, an email was sent to Phoenix residents with a subject heading “Getting your community ready for Google Fiber.” The email talked about the work that is ahead with city leaders over the coming months, and asked residents to share the graphic (seen below) and news about Fiber via social media.

To learn more about Google Fiber click here.

Stay tuned for more info from AZTB.

*This article has been updated since its original post