Googlemania

MONCKS CORNER -- With efforts ranging from silly to serious, towns and cities across the nation are vying for Google's attention, hoping to become a test site for ultra-high-speed Internet service that the search engine giant plans to pioneer.

Some cities, like Topeka, Kan., have offered to change their name to Google. Elsewhere, people have produced videos meant to support their city's efforts, like the guy in Greenville who shaved "Google" into his hair.

Moncks Corner Mayor Bill Peagler and Home Telephone Co. President William Helmly don't go for that sort of thing, but they're in a YouTube video and on a Facebook page telling Google that Moncks Corner is the place to be.

"I think the word is getting out," Peagler said Friday. "If they look at it from a reasonable business standpoint, Moncks Corner would be a good fit for them."

Wherever Google ends up, it's proposed network of gigabit-per-second fiber optics is expected to attract a flood of high-tech companies eager to see what such a network can do. One gigabit per second is about 50 to 300 times faster than most home Internet connections today.

Helmly said that if Google brought ultra-high-speed Internet to the area, it could be a boon to schools, hospitals, local businesses and residents, not to mention Home Telephone. He said the high speeds Google contemplates could revolutionize the way hospitals transmit images, such as CAT-scans, and schools could enjoy seamless teleconferencing and remote-learning options.

Peagler noted that Google has a new $600 million server farm in Berkeley County. The facility has a Moncks Corner address, though it is usually described as being near Goose Creek (Google Creek?).

Away from the town hall, Moncks Corner residents seemed vaguely aware of the Google initiative, and who could be opposed to faster Internet?

"It would be great," said Dennis Rhoad, an attorney with a practice in the town, as he headed into Music Man Bar-B-Que for lunch.

Sherry Roberts, manager and waitress at the popular restaurant, said she would appreciate faster computer connections.

"I do a lot of couponing online now, that's my new thing," she said.

At tables where foam plates were heaped with barbecue, cheese-covered macaroni and bread pudding, diners agreed that, yes, faster would be better.

Moncks Corner will have plenty of competition, of course.

"I think we would be remiss in our responsibilities if we did not offer ourselves as a candidate," said Wes Ratterree, the city of Charleston's chief information officer.

He said the city is filling out a roughly 26-page application form for Google.

"It includes information on demographics, local carriers, utilities, the economy, the climate and other things," he said. "I think it's an ingenious marketing move by Google, because they have all these entities that will be pumping information to them at no cost to Google."

"Many carriers would love to have this information," Ratterree said.

Tonight in Greenville, residents will try to attract Google's attention by forming a human chain down Main Street while holding glow sticks.

In Moncks Corner, they're playing it cool.

"We don't see the value in all that hype," Helmly said.

The State newspaper contributed to this report. Reach David Slade at 937-5552 or dslade@postand courier.com.