MONROE - Applications to make the city a Google test site are officially underway.
On Monday, the city began work on an application to be considered a test site for Google's new ultra high-speed bandwidth Internet connection project.
Google announced Feb. 10 it plans to build and test ultra high-bandwidth networks in a small number of trial locations across the country. The networks with fiber-to-the-home connections would deliver speeds of 1 gigabyte per second. Application are due March 26.
"The committee went over the proposal (request for information) front to back," said Rob Jacobson, Chairman of Monroe's Ad Hoc Technology Advisory Committee. "Everyone thinks it's a good idea and saw the economic benefits."
Work now begins to gather as much information as possible to submit to Google's online form.
"We need information to put together a really good proposal, but also we want to do it so in the future we can use it for economic questions from other firms considering coming into Monroe," Mayor Ron Marsh said.
Committee members will be gathering information from City Hall offices as well as outside sources, such as Green County Development Corporation, UW Extension and utility companies, Marsh said.
"We want to do it right and produce a good package," said Alderman Thurston Hanson, a member of the committee. "Nobody knows what Google is looking for. Google said they were looking to get 50-500 thousand, but they didn't say in how many cities."
Hanson said the committee will most likely contact a Google office in Madison for more information on how to make the application more informative and attractive for consideration.
The city is working on the Google application for governments, while other individuals and organizations will be completing an application for communities. The two applications are expected to be submitted simultaneously, in hopes of heightening the chances of being chosen.
A group of citizens and representatives from Green County Development Corporation, Green County Future Forward, Monroe Main Street and the City of Monroe met Feb. 25 at City Hall to plan the course of action.
Steve Moon of Future Forward said Google would need to know the city's demographics, why Google should choose Monroe and what facilities and resources Monroe has to attract the company.
Jacobson was selected by the group to spearhead the effort. He will work with city and county department heads to gather the information to present an application to Google.
Google will use the applications to assess such factors as the level of community support, local resources, weather conditions, approved construction methods and local regulatory issues. Google said it will select the trial locations later this year.
According to Google's Web site promotion of the test trials, "ultra high-speed bandwidth will drive more innovation - in high-definition video, remote data storage, real-time multimedia collaboration. It will enable new customer applications, as well as medical, education, and other services that can benefit communities."
- Times reporter
Brian Gray contributed to this story.
On Monday, the city began work on an application to be considered a test site for Google's new ultra high-speed bandwidth Internet connection project.
Google announced Feb. 10 it plans to build and test ultra high-bandwidth networks in a small number of trial locations across the country. The networks with fiber-to-the-home connections would deliver speeds of 1 gigabyte per second. Application are due March 26.
"The committee went over the proposal (request for information) front to back," said Rob Jacobson, Chairman of Monroe's Ad Hoc Technology Advisory Committee. "Everyone thinks it's a good idea and saw the economic benefits."
Work now begins to gather as much information as possible to submit to Google's online form.
"We need information to put together a really good proposal, but also we want to do it so in the future we can use it for economic questions from other firms considering coming into Monroe," Mayor Ron Marsh said.
Committee members will be gathering information from City Hall offices as well as outside sources, such as Green County Development Corporation, UW Extension and utility companies, Marsh said.
"We want to do it right and produce a good package," said Alderman Thurston Hanson, a member of the committee. "Nobody knows what Google is looking for. Google said they were looking to get 50-500 thousand, but they didn't say in how many cities."
Hanson said the committee will most likely contact a Google office in Madison for more information on how to make the application more informative and attractive for consideration.
The city is working on the Google application for governments, while other individuals and organizations will be completing an application for communities. The two applications are expected to be submitted simultaneously, in hopes of heightening the chances of being chosen.
A group of citizens and representatives from Green County Development Corporation, Green County Future Forward, Monroe Main Street and the City of Monroe met Feb. 25 at City Hall to plan the course of action.
Steve Moon of Future Forward said Google would need to know the city's demographics, why Google should choose Monroe and what facilities and resources Monroe has to attract the company.
Jacobson was selected by the group to spearhead the effort. He will work with city and county department heads to gather the information to present an application to Google.
Google will use the applications to assess such factors as the level of community support, local resources, weather conditions, approved construction methods and local regulatory issues. Google said it will select the trial locations later this year.
According to Google's Web site promotion of the test trials, "ultra high-speed bandwidth will drive more innovation - in high-definition video, remote data storage, real-time multimedia collaboration. It will enable new customer applications, as well as medical, education, and other services that can benefit communities."
- Times reporter
Brian Gray contributed to this story.