Google Fiber Brings Multi-Gig Speeds to Des Moines and West Des Moines

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Des Moines and West Des Moines, Iowa, are now benefiting from Google Fiber's recent speed upgrades, with 1 Gig customers automatically boosted to 3 Gig and 3 Gig users upgraded to a blazing 5 Gig - all without price increases. This move positions the cities to be well-prepared for the future of internet demands driven by remote work, online gaming, virtual reality, and the growing number of connected devices in the average home.

Why it matters

The upgrades in Des Moines and West Des Moines are more than just a speed boost; they're a powerful indicator of where home internet is headed. Google Fiber's decision to launch these upgrades in the cities was strategic, as they utilized 25 Gig Passive Optical Network (PON) technology, which is designed to handle multi-gigabit speeds with ease. This future-proof infrastructure will help the cities capitalize on the rising bandwidth demands of emerging technologies like the metaverse.

The details

Google Fiber's 25G PON technology allowed the company to automatically upgrade 1 Gig customers to 3 Gig and 3 Gig users to 5 Gig without raising prices. Unlike older fiber infrastructure, 25G PON has the capacity to support these multi-gigabit speeds. This positions Des Moines and West Des Moines to be well-prepared for the increasing bandwidth demands driven by remote work, online gaming, virtual reality, and the growing number of connected devices in the average home.

• Google Fiber launched the speed upgrades in Des Moines and West Des Moines in January 2026.

What’s next

Google Fiber has stated its intention to extend these speed upgrades to other markets, but the timeline will depend on the existing infrastructure in each city. Areas already equipped with 25G PON will likely see upgrades sooner than those relying on older technologies.