Google Fiber adds Lee's Summit, Mo. to its FTTP build out list

June 24, 2013 | By Sean Buckley

Google Fiber (Nasdaq: GOOG) has named Lee's Summit, Mo., as the next target community for its 1 Gbps fiber to the premises service after gaining city council approval.

Since launching the FTTP initiative in 2011, Google has laid out plans to bring service to a total of nine Kansas City-area communities.

Google Fiber, as usual, did not specify a timeline when it would announce service.

"As soon as we have more information about when fiber will come to Lee's Summit residents, we'll share it on this blog," said Rachel Hack, Google Fiber community manager.

In related news, Google Fiber said that it currently offers service in 16 "fiberhoods" throughout Kansas City, Kan. and Kansas City, Mo., and that it's closer to bringing service to an additional 11 "fiberhoods." Eligible customers in Kansas City have until July 25 to pick their fiber plan.

Google announced in May that it would bring 1 Gbps to Austin, Texas and Provo, Utah.

While Google Fiber continues to be criticized by traditional telcos and cable operators as an experiment, some analysts say that Google could have a deeper impact on the overall broadband market.

Ken Sena, an analyst with Evercore Partners, forecast that Google could sign up 3 million customers in the next seven years, adding that to reach 8 million homes would cost the Internet search giant about $7 billion.