Building the infrastructure required to deliver gigabit Internet speed can be costly. This is especially true in older cities on the East Coast, which have complex legacy infrastructures that make it difficult to carry out these types of projects. That is why companies hesitate to enter these areas even though the high population density makes them potentially lucrative markets. For example, former Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino tried to get Verizon to deploy its FiOS network in the city to no avail. The city also tried to court Google (News - Alert) to build out its Google Fiber network, which was also met with disapproval. Nevertheless, the city’s new mayor, Martin J Walsh, announced at the annual meeting of the Mass Technology Leadership Council that his administration will be working hard to improve the speed and reliability of broadband connection in the city.

Broadband speed and reliability has been a bitter issue for Boston’s many tech companies. With many of the best higher-educational institutions in the world calling Massachusetts and the Boston area their home, this is an issue that should ideally not exist. Nonetheless, many different areas in Boston experience connectivity dead spots, even in business districts where technology companies have established themselves.

According to the mayor, the city is working on it. That is the extent of the city’s comment regarding plans to improve Boston’s broadband dilemma.

When Google first announced its fiber network, four cities in Massachusetts, including Boston, Quincy, Worcester and Newberryport, all hoped to attract the company, albeit without success. Currently, Google is providing the service in Kansas City, Austin, and Provo, with no clear indications s as to where the project will continue.

In today's business environment, the fastest Internet access possible is required in order to fully capitalize on emerging technology trends. The migration to cloud computing by public and private organizations, as well as individual consumers, demands high Internet speeds. The services consumers use are also increasingly reliant on high-speed broadband to make them possible. This includes entertainment solutions, medical monitoring, security services, and connected devices such as automobiles.