Opportunity

Until high-speed Internet access is available across the entire community, we cannot fully achieve our regional goal to become America’s Digital Crossroads. Google’s unprecedented investment put Kansas City on the cutting edge. To become a true gigabit city, Google and other Internet service providers — Time Warner Cable, AT&T, Comcast, SureWest and others — should expand ultra-high-speed services to include more commercial and public facilities.

Action Steps

MBIT recommends that all Internet service providers in the Kansas City region should:

• Develop and pursue plans to provide affordable, high-quality, high-speed Internet access to homes, businesses and communities of all sizes.
• Seamlessly integrate networks with high-speed Wi-Fi and wireless capabilities
• Work closely with local governments, community groups and school districts to facilitate universal access, especially for low-income residents, underserved neighborhoods, small businesses and entrepreneurs
• Recognize and work with neighborhood leaders and business associations as strong partners in marketing high-speed Internet services
• Become actively involved with financial and corporate leadership to help shape, promote and implement the ideas in this playbook.

Solutions

• Gigaspots program launched (beta) to provide gigabit access to entrepreneurs.
• Time Warner has expanded Wifi connectivity for customers.
• SureWest has expanded fiber-to-the-home network with the KC metro area.
• Google Fiber has reached service agreements with 13 additional local communities with clear intent to provide more service.

Other area providers have become more competitive in their business and residential offerings.