Google Announces Fiber Service Kickoff, But Some Have Service Already

By Alyson Raletz

Google Inc. on Tuesday held an official kickoff for installations of its ultra-fast Internet network and TV service in the Kansas City area.

However, the Tuesday connections won’t be the first. A couple of handfuls of customers in the Hanover Heights and Spring Valley neighborhoods of Kansas City, Kan., have had the service since October, said Courtney Hohne, Google director of communications. (BLOG: Google Fiber trailblazer isn't interested in speed) They were part of a pilot installation project Google started in October to iron out any installation wrinkles.

The tech giant (Nasdaq: GOOG) held a Tuesday morning news conference to discuss the installations, which are being done by local workers. Alana Karen, Google Fiber director of service delivery, said Google plans to hire more locals during the coming months, but she didn’t specify how many.

The company said work is on schedule.

Still, those interested in a business Google Fiber offering will have to wait.

Juan Spiniak, Google Fiber product manager, said that "right now we are 100 percent focused on residential customers" and that a small-business product announcement would come in the future.

During the next few weeks, Google Fiber will add MyFiber, an online portal that lets customers manage services, configure WiFi and check the status of all their devices, such as network and TV storage devices. MyFiber also will let customers review their services and upgrade.

Google is encouraging customers to make post-installation inquiries online through the MyFiber portal, but it also provided a toll-free number for network support: 866-777-7550.

During an interview, Karen said customer service representatives in Austin, Texas, will field those calls. She said Google hired an outside vendor for call support services, but local employees in the Google Fiber Space in Westport also will be able to answer in-person questions about the network.

Houses in a segment of Kansas City, Kan., called KC Startup Village will be among the first to go live Tuesday. KC Startup Village includes roughly a dozen young companies that have set up shop inside houses and buildings near 45th Avenue and State Line Road. They were drawn to the area partly to access Google’s new network.

Karen advised customers to wait for Google to contact them about the initial installation.

Google wouldn't say how many installations it will perform in KC Startup Village's Hanover Heights and Spring Valley neighborhoods or provide a customer count, but it plans to move to the next "fiberhood" in December.

Follow Twitter updates from the village using the #KCSV hashtag.

Read Google's blog on the press conference.