Google launched its Google Fiber broadband Internet service in Kansas City, Missouri, of the United States on Thursday with the download speeds of around 1 gigabyte per second.

The speed Google offering is more than 100 times faster than the traditional cable and telecommunications companies in the US.

“The Internet is a huge positive force, and yet we are at a crossroad,” said Google Chief Financial Officer Patrick Pichette. He said Internet speeds had levelled out for broadband since around 2000, and Google would be making it 100 times faster.

The new Google Fiber TV service will be priced at $120 a month for a package of major broadcast networks, 1 gigabyte per second Internet speeds and 1 terabyte of cloud storage, Reuters reported. For $70 a month the service will not include the traditional TV channels.

Features of Google Fiber Broadband Internet Service :

• Record eight TV shows at a time
• Store up to 500 hours of high definition programming
• The user can use a tablet or smart phone as a voice-activated remote control if the user wants.
• Google is offering its tablet (Nexus 7) with the Google TV app to early users of the service.
• Users can search live channels, Netflix, YouTube, recorded shows and tens of thousands of hours of on-demand programming.

For everyday activities such as Web surfing, email and video-watching, there will likely be no substantial difference. The higher speeds will help with video sharing and online backups.

The service is intended as a showcase for what’s technically possible and as a testbed for the development of new ways to use the Internet. Bypassing the local cable and phone companies, Google has spent months and an unknown amount of money pulling its own optical fiber through the two-state Kansas City region.

Google is hoping that the network could help the development of other advanced applications that can take advantage of the high speeds. It’s also hoping to spur phone and cable companies into upgrading their own networks.