The Google announcement

Google made big news recently when the tech giant announced it would bring super-high speed internet service to the Triangle and Charlotte regions. NC State University economist Mike Walden comments on the significance of that announcement.

“I think this is a very, very big deal. I think it is a recognition of … our two biggest metropolitan areas in North Carolina, the Triangle and Charlotte, (and) their level of status in the national economy.

“This is a big deal because speed is everything in technology, not just for private use but also for business use. People when they use technology want to be able to use it faster – to download files faster, to send information faster. So the fact that these two regions will have access to this very, very high speed service is a big plus. It is going to add another layer of attractiveness to these two regions in North Carolina.

“I think it will also have a positive impact on job growth. And then lastly I think it is actually going to also motivate competitors – other internet providers – to at least come close to offering the same kind of service.  If there is a downside of this, I think it does remind us of the urban-rural divide that we have in North Carolina, with the fact that Google is going to metropolitan regions first in North Carolina.”