US demand spikes for Google network tests

Internet giant Google has asked customers in the US not to embark on dangerous stunts in their bids to become part of the company’s trials of a new super-fast internet network.

Last month the company announced it would be testing a new network capable of delivering speeds of up to 1gbps – 10 times faster than the speeds to be offered under the Australian National Broadband Network.

Google has received over 600 responses from communities across the country, along with nearly 200,000 bids from individuals. Towns have embarked on strange and unusual bidding efforts including Florida mayor Richard Clapp who spent time in a shark cage in freezing water in order to convince the company.

Google product manager James Kelly said in a blog post that the response indicates that “people across the country are hungry for better and faster Internet access.”