Google Fiber is now in Louisville thanks to new fiber deployment strategy

Google Fiber has begun taking signups in Louisville, Kentucky, after a tumultuous process involving lawsuits filed against the local government by incumbent broadband providers.

AT&T and Charter both sued the metro government in Louisville and Jefferson County in an attempt to stop a new ordinance designed to give Google Fiber easier access to utility poles. The lawsuits haven't stopped the new ordinance, as AT&T's was thrown out of court and Charter's is still pending. But instead of hanging wires on utility poles, Google Fiber ended up burying the cables with a "microtrenching" strategy that is quicker than traditional underground fiber deployment. While it has been more than two years since Google Fiber announced that it would build in Louisville, it has only been a few months since construction began. "Louisville is the fastest we’ve ever moved from construction announcement, which happened in May, to signing up customers," a Google Fiber executive said. Residents in the Portland, Strathmoor and Newburg neighborhoods of Louisville can now sign up for service. Google Fiber is also providing a gigabit connection at the Neighborhood House, a community center for children and families living in poverty.