Broadband Battleground: Google Fiber Coming to San Antonio

San Antonio is shaping up as a broadband battleground. Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) Fiber has announced plans to deploy its FTTH-based gigabit Internet service in the city, which the search giant says will be its largest market to date. The planned buildout includes more than 4,000 miles of fiber.

A number of Internet service providers currently serve San Antonio, including cable, telco and wireless. Some of its larger incumbent ISPs include Time Warner Cable (NYSE:TWC) - which completed the Internet portion of its TWC Maxx upgrade program in the city last week - AT&T (NYSE:T), Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) and Grande Communications, which offers gigabit service in parts of the city. San Antonio was also named as one of the recipient communities in the ConnectHome low-income broadband adoption program announced last month by the Obama administration and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Current Google Fiber markets include the Kansas City metro area; Provo, UT; and Austin, TX. Besides San Antonio, Google plans to deploy in Salt Lake City, Nashville, Atlanta, and Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham in North Carolina. The company is also considering Portland, OR; San Jose, CA; and Phoenix as potential markets.