NW Couch and Naito Parkway

Portland Attempts World Record to get Google’s attention. World’s longest “Telephone Game” needs only 700 people.

A group of citizens are organizing the world’s longest “Telephone Game” as an attempt to get the attention of Google.

The Technology giant has put out a Request For Information (RFI) to municipalities who may be interested in partnering with Google to install a 1 gigabyte fiber optic network that will serve 50,000 to 500,000 homes.

The RFI has already caused quite a stir among cities large and small across America. In an attempt to gain the favor of the company, one city, Topeka, Kansas decided to change its name to Google for a day.

The City of Portland is taking the proposal seriously and will be adopting a resolution Wednesday, March 17th to provide a proposal to the search engine colossus. The project would be a significant undertaking for Google. Estimates are that they would need to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to lay a fiber optic network in most cities, whereas in Portland, City efforts to facilitate it have already tilled the fields for high-speed broadband.

The significance of the project is that it would provide speeds of one hundred times greater than is available today in the United States, potentially spurring innovative, revenue generating businesses and jobs in the city that is awarded the prize.

A group of citizens in the technology and creative industries clusters have joined in the effort to “Woo the Goog”, since the RFI states that citizen involvement will be a deciding factor in awarding the fiber network.

The Game will stretch from Pioneer Courthouse Square, and attempt to cross the Steel Bridge to the steps of the Rose Garden arena. The event will begin at 9am Saturday March 20th, and the record-breaking Telephone game attempt will start at the east side of the Steel Bridge at 9:30, reaching Mayor Sam Adams in Pioneer Courthouse Square at approximately 10:30. All who are interested are encouraged to meet at the corner of NW Couch and Naito Parkway.

World’s Longest Telephone Game Saturday, March 20th 2010 Rose Garden across the Steel Bridge

Contact: Donna Hougland [email protected] 503-313-9152