Google Fiber starts construction on Des Moines fiber-optic internet network

Google Fiber started construction in Des Moines on its fiber-optic internet network last month.

Rachel Merlo, Google Fiber head of government and community affairs, said the company started construction along Grand Avenue Sept. 13. Google Fiber is building its “Main Line" down Grand Avenue east toward 28th Street, Merlo said. Then it will move north. After the main artery is built, Google will start construction in neighborhoods later this month, Merlo said.

“We’ll be hopefully getting our permits shortly for that,” Merlo said.

In Phase 1 of construction, Google Fiber will build into neighborhoods south of Grand Avenue and then head toward the Ashworth Park area. Both business and residential customers will be able to sign up when Google Fiber’s first customers are able to sign on in 2023, Merlo said.

“We plan to be at work in Des Moines for a couple of years to get around to as much of the city as possible,” Merlo said. “Those customers as the network becomes available will be able to sign up over time.”

Google Fiber began offering its one or two gigabit service to West Des Moines residents in March. The service is about 100 times faster than the average broadband connection. At the time West Des Moines was one of just 17 metro areas in the country, and the only one in Iowa, to have its service.

Last week Google announced plans to expand into Omaha, Nebraska. The company announced plans to expand to Des Moines in April.

"Des Moines (has) been on our interest list for a while," Andy Simpson, the company's central region general manager, said in April. "It was timely from where we were as a business and a team. It's an area we knew had a desire for fast, reliable internet."

Google Fiber's one-gigabit upload and download speed internet service costs $70 per month for residential customers. The two-gigabit service costs $100 per month.

Indiana-based MetroNet began offering fiber-optic internet service to Des Moines about a year ago. MetroNet also offers service in Davenport, Bettendorf and Ames, with networks under construction in nearly 20 other Iowa cities. West Des Moines-based Mediacom offers fiber-optic internet services in Des Moines, and CenturyLink offers the service in some parts of the city.

West Des Moines paid $40 million to build fiber-optic conduits and gave Google Fiber temporary exclusive use of those conduits. The company will build its own conduits in Des Moines.

Disruptions to Des Moines residents should be minimal, Merlo said. Residents will be notified by door hangers “a couple days” before the company installs fiber in residential areas.

“People will see most of our work happening underground in the right of way,” Merlo said. “Our technical operations team is working closely with the city’s public works folks to determine the best path to get the conduit in the ground buried at the appropriate depth.”

Philip Joens covers public safety and RAGBRAI for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-443-3347 at pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens.