Will Google Gigabit be Trumped by Gigabit Squared’s $200 Million Bet on Broadband?

Well, things sure got interesting around here at the SHLB Coalition conference. Blair Levin of Gig.U told the lunch crowd yesterday that Gigabit Squared (a consulting, hands-on project management company) has raise $200 million to fund six gigabit-network projects that are originated and supported by colleges and college communities in the Gig.U program.

That’s kinda like a mighty BOOM! dropped on Google’s effort to bring gigabit broadband to Kansas City. “Yeah, we’ll see your one-city funding bet, and raise you five cities. Now whataya got?”

Given that media coverage of Google/Kansas City these days is often laced with threads of doubts regarding how well this project is going to work out, Gigabit Squared might start to cast a shadow over KC. I’m not sure how much KC wants to let this kind of a shadow hang over their project because the local constituency might start to lose faith. Few things short circuit broadband marketing like doubt among potential subscribers.