Google plans to build and test superfast Internet service - USATODAY.com

Google on Wednesday vowed to build and test a rocket-fast Internet service to as many as 500,000 people, positioning the search giant as a potential rival to cable and phone companies.

Google said it intends to build in a few trial communities a fiber-optic network that can transmit 1 gigabit of data per second — fast enough to deliver a high-definition movie in five minutes. Typical cable and phone broadband services transmit 5 megabits per second, which can mean hours for such a download...