The city of Madison may soon get the opportunity to be a test site for Google's new fiber optic network.
Mayor Dave Cieslewicz announced Friday he is working with Madison's Information Technology staff to apply for the project.
Cieslewicz wrote in his blog that he has received e-mails and phone calls from citizens who want the city to apply. Even a Facebook group supporting the project has sprung up.
""We'll need to build on that already strong level of support and work together with our partners in the community both to complete our application and to successfully implement the project should we be selected,"" he said.
Google's project is looking to test ""ultra-high speed broadband networks"" in different locations throughout the country. The company is searching for test cities with a population between 50,000 and 500,000 people with ""tech savvy"" citizens.
Cieslewicz said he believes Madison embodies all of these qualities, with a population of approximately 225,000 and a two-year-old Google office on Blount Street.
He added that implementation of the project could also mean the creation of jobs.
If Madison is chosen, the new fiber optic network is expected to make the speed of the Internet at least 100 times faster for Madison citizens.
Google will be accepting applications for the project until March 26.
