Kansas City will be the first in America to benefit from Google's ultra-fast internet connection, which will be available to residents from 2012.

The high speed network will operate on 1 gigabit per second fiber optic cables. Google will study the transition from standard broadband to the new connection, which is approximately 100 times faster than KCK's current setup.

Kansas City was one of nearly 1100 to apply for Google's new project, and won as the result of a "careful review". Google may have been influenced by its relatively modest population of 150,000.

The connection is expected to give the city an academic advantage. "Our students will benefit from this new opportunity allowing them to use this next generation fiber optic system to fully realize their potential in a global economy," said Mayor Joe Reardon.

Google wants to "make the web better for users", on the basis that faster connections lead to new businesses and innovative platforms. It cites businesses like YouTube, Skype, iTunes and Spotify, none of which would have been possible without the rapid increase in connection speeds over the last decade.

Google has said that the fiber optic connection will be "affordable", but there has been no announcement as to whether it will be unlimited or metered. The move is a pioneering foray of Google into infrastructure, making it the provider of both service and application. Google have not suggested that they intend to build a telecoms network, but their actions in Kansas might encourage the established telcos to provide faster internet and make America's connection speed (currently 15th internationally) more competitive.

Reported by Claire Blackthorne.

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