Or they will, if we do things right…

There is a contest underway from Google where the stakes are high: one or more communities somewhere in the USA will be the test market for Google’s high-speed fiber network.  Here is the teaser from http://gigarva.com (who, in turn, took it from Google’s site, where it no longer seems to appear):

Google is planning to launch an experiment that we hope will make Internet access better and faster for everyone. We plan to test ultra-high speed broadband networks in one or more trial locations across the country. Our networks will deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today, over 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. We’ll offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.

The nomination phase is over, and now we need to get everyone in Richmond (and anyone outside of Richmond that wants to support our efforts here) talking online about why Google should pick us!  The next step of the process is going on now, and Google has been releasing updates on where each of the top nominated communities stand.  The winners of this phase are being determined based on the online buzz that each community generates around their nomination (see Google’s recent analysis of the data so far in this .pdf file).

Here is Richmond’s official video for the promotion of the program.  I think they did a great job with it! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkZ78Y_TiyA]

Do I have your attention now?  Good, because here is how you can help:

1. Become a fan of 1GBforRVA on Facebook & write posts on their wall
2. Find blogs that mention it and leave supportive comments (*ahem*…this one you’re reading is a good start!)
3. Write a post on your own blog/Facebook/Myspace about why Google should pick Richmond
4. Follow @1GBforRVA on Twitter and interact with them there
5. Tweet about why you think Google should pick Richmond and reference @1GBforRVA at the end
6. Find a local online forum and talk about the 1GBforRVA initiative. Start discussions
7. Make videos about why Google should pick Richmond and post them online
8. Talk to your friends and family about the 1GBforRVA initiative and encourage them to participate

It doesn’t have to be anything complicated, and maybe you just have time to leave a single comment here or on 1GBforRVA’s Facebook page, but even that will help.  Google is looking for an active online community that wants them to come here. (if you’re short on ideas for why Richmond is a great choice, check this out)

Let’s show them that Richmond can rally behind a common cause and that when we want something, we make it happen.

Ready? GO!