Google delays community ultra-fast broadband network choice

Google's new top networking executive says more than 1,100 applications were made across the U.S. , which is a major reason why the choice is being pushed back to 2011.

So whether Raleigh City Councilman Bonner Gaylord will have to, as promised, name his sons Larry [Page] and Sergey [Brin] after Google's co-founders won't be known for a while.

Google has done some preliminary work in testing the fiber optic-based technology that promises to deliver broadband services 100 times faster than current technology, Medin noted. Among the efforts is one on Google's headquarters campus and another is an 850-home "beta" at Stanford University.

"I’m excited for us to bring our ultra high-speed network to a community," he wrote in a Google blog.

"We had planned to announce our selected community or communities by the end of this year, but the level of interest was incredible – nearly 1,100 communities across the country responded to our announcement – and exceeded our expectations. While we’re moving ahead full steam on this project, we’re not quite ready to make that announcement.

"We’re sorry for this delay, but we want to make sure we get this right. To be clear, we’re not re-opening our selection process – we simply need more time to decide than we’d anticipated. Stay tuned for an announcement in early 2011."

Google set off a stampede of applications and the naming offers with its announcement of the project in February.

The following North Carolina communities and groups representing various areas have applied: