City Councilor At-Large Ari Herzog is asking for support in nominating Newburyport as a a trial location for Google's experimental fiber-optic network. Herzog said in an email press release that Comcast and Verizon can only offer a maximum download rate of approximately 16 to 20 million bits per second; whereas fiber optic would bring speeds up to 1 billion bits per second.

Google's experimental fiber optic network was launched last week. Google is asking local governments and residents to express their interest in the trial, and to provide information about their community, by completing our request for information.

Herzog wrote: "Imagine the broadband capabilities we can do with that. Anna Jaques Hospital is currently one of three hospitals statewide piloting an Electronic Medical Record program; how could that program expand with faster access to patient data?"

Herzog also said that deploying a broadband wi-fi network in Newburyport's downtown district is not an option with current telco providers.

This initiative has the support of Mayor Donna Holaday, Herzog said, adding that he is City Hall's liaison to what is quickly growing to be a massive grassroots movement over the next five weeks before Google's self-imposed deadline of March 26. He has created a Facebook page where interested residents can voice their support.