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Google Fiber's coveted high-speed internet coming to 2 San Antonio neighborhoods

Google Fiber is coming to San Antonio.

Photo courtesy of Google Fiber

In the most tech-y way possible, Google Fiber announced it is coming to San Antonio. On November 13, the tech giant wrote a simple tweet to its followers, saying: "Hello, #SanAntonio. #GoogleFiber has arrived. Sign-ups are now open in some areas, with more to come." Then it added a gif of a man dancing.

Though announced without the grandeur of say, the Gettysburg Address, this is big news for Alamo City. From now until December 21, residents living near Westover Hills and around West End Park on the near west side can sign up for Fiber 1000, the company's flagship service.

Residents can check if their address is eligible for Google Fiber by going to this website. Folks who aren't yet eligible can sign up to receive updates as Google adds more neighborhoods.

Fiber 1000 delivers high-speed internet service at around 1,000 megabits per second (we don't really know what that means, but it's fast), and is available for $55 per month to San Antonio residents who sign up beginning today. Google also offers YouTube TV for an additional $35 per month.

San Antonio will be just the 12th city in the U.S., and the second in Texas, to get access to the coveted service. For many cities, including Kansas City, which was the first place to get Fiber, access to high-speed internet is viewed as an economic game changer.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg says he hopes that San Antonio will also benefit from the arrival of Fiber. “Access to high-speed broadband is a critical piece of creating an economically viable city,” said Nirenberg in a release. “This infrastructure is crucial to enhanced economic development and educational opportunities for San Antonians.”

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CultureMap founder David Gow named CEO of Houston policy nonprofit

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

David Gow will begin his new role in September.

A nonprofit organization dedicated to leading Houston into the future has named its next leader.

The Center for Houston’s Future named David Gow as president and CEO, succeeding Brett Perlman, who was announced in April to be remaining at the Center with a focus on the Center’s hydrogen initiative. Gow is the founder and chairman of Gow Media, CultureMap's parent company. His role is effective September 3.

“I am excited to step into this opportunity with the Center and work with the team, the board and many other stakeholders to help shape Houston’s future,” Gow said in a statement. “The Center presents an exciting opportunity to cast a vision for our region and identify initiatives that will make an impact.”

Gow — whose portfolio includes CultureMap, its sister sites, and ESPN Radio's Houston affiliate — is a board member of Goose Capital and chair of MSAI, an entity he formed through a SPAC acquisition. Before he founded Gow Media, he served as CFO and CEO of online watch retailer Ashford.com. Prior to Ashford, Gow was director of corporate strategy at Compaq Computers and a consultant at McKinsey & Co. He received his master’s in public policy from Harvard and his bachelor's in economics from Williams College.

“David’s portfolio of experiences and skills, record of innovation and success, and deep commitment to the Houston community make him the perfect fit to lead the Center as we chart and execute on our next set of initiatives focused on ensuring a bright future for all residents in the Houston region,” adds Center for Houston’s Future Board Chair Cindy Yeilding.

In his new role, Gow will lead the Center’s next effort, Vision 2050, which plans to identify the city's key issues, gaps, and opportunities.

“Today’s announcement also reflects the success of the Center’s clean hydrogen program,” Yeilding continues. “On behalf of the Center’s board, I’d also like to recognize Brett for launching and building such a successful and important effort as well as his overall leadership and record of achievement at the Center these past seven years.”

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This article first appeared on our sister site InnovationMap.

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