Is Google Fiber Nudging ISP Speeds Upward?

It ultimately will be difficult to say precisely how much impact Google Fiber has had in encouraging other ISPs to boost their access speeds, simply because that process (speed increases) had been underway since before Google Fiber was launched in Kansas City, Kan. and Kansas City, Mo. 

Since 1994, median advertised speeds have risen steadily, at about a 20 percent compound annual rate.


In fact, by some estimates, U.S. access speeds were set to climb up to about 100 Mbps by 2020, in any case. 

It probably is not a coincidence that Time Warner Cable, which competes directly with Google Fiber in Kansas City, recently boosted its speeds, across the board, however, in that market. 

Speeds there were boosted at least 50 percent, and in some cases by 500 percent. 

Lite Internet — from 1Mbps to 5Mbps
Basic Internet — 3Mbps to 10Mbps
Standard Internet — 10Mbps to 15Mbps
Turbo Pass Internet — 15Mbps to 20Mbps (No word on upgrades for customers already getting 20Mbps Turbo service)
Extreme Internet — 30Mbps to 50Mbps
Ultimate Internet — 50Mbps to 100Mbps

Upload speeds remain unchanged at 5 Mbps for premium tiers.