| 1 | SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Google's ultra-fast Internet service is coming to San Antonio, the largest city yet to be promised the opportunity to accelerate the speed of their online access. |
| 2 | With the addition of San Antonio announced Wednesday, a total of 24 U.S. cities scattered through seven states have now been selected as markets for an Internet service called "Google Fiber." |
| 3 | Started five years ago in Kansas, the ambitious project represents Google's attempt to pressure major broadband providers such as Comcast, Verizon Communications and AT&T Inc. to upgrade their networks so they run at faster speeds. |
| 4 | Google Inc. is installing fiber-optic lines in selected cities to deliver Internet service at one gigabit per second, up to 100 times faster than existing services. |
| 5 | The Mountain View, California, company figures it will benefit if the Internet is available at faster speeds by making online access a more enjoyable experience, increasing the chances that people will see ads at Google's search engine or its other services such as the popular YouTube video site. |
| 6 | Prices for Google Fiber are comparable or below what most households already pay. |
| 7 | The service typically costs about $70 per month for just high-speed Internet service. |
| 8 | Google Fiber is currently available in Kansas City, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; Provo, Utah; and Austin, Texas. |
| 9 | It's also scheduled to be offer in Salt Lake City as well as 18 Southeastern cities in Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. |
| 10 | A timetable for Google Fiber's completion in San Antonio hasn't been set. |
| 11 | Google estimates it will have to install about 4,000 miles of optic cable in San Antonio before the service will be ready. |
| 12 | This story has been corrected to show 24 U.S. cities have been selected for Google Fiber instead of 20. |