SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The cities of UTOPIA applauded Governor Gary Herbert today for joining their effort to encourage Google to bring its experiment in fiber optics to Utah.

“UTOPIA is a good candidate to partner with Google in the new project and to bring the experiment to well-prepped ground”

“UTOPIA is a good candidate to partner with Google in the new project and to bring the experiment to well-prepped ground,” said the Governor in a letter of support. “UTOPIA has successfully pursued models of deployment and found a sustainable and reliable model,” he said.

“We appreciate the Governor’s support of our efforts to attract Google to Utah,” said Orem Mayor Jerry Washburn. “He has always been supportive of local government, high tech, and economic development.”

“Governor Herbert understands business, and realizes what an enormous boost this would be for our state to have Google’s help in deploying more fiber to Utah homes and businesses,” said West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder. “On the UTOPIA network, Utah-based entrepreneurs compete at the speed of light in providing Internet, data, phone and voice services.”

Google announced last month that it wants to partner with municipalities to develop and experiment with an ultrafast fiber network that would reach 50,000 to 500,000 people across the country. Google’s announcement referenced the need for government to step up and provide high speed fiber connectivity, and for such fiber-to-the-premise networks to be “open access,” affirming all that UTOPIA stands for.