said by dfwguy:I'm not familiar with the technical details of how Google's system works. Can they use the existing PON and just replace the equipment on the ends and get the same result as what they've built themselves?
Google's Kansas City plant is using active ethernet from what I've been told. Each user gets a dedicated piece of glass to the plant. That is obviously not compatible with PON.
Things are different in the Provo and I think future installs. They've gone to WDM-GPON technologies; basically they're using PON but giving each user thier own wavelength. I don't know if it's a seperate up and down stream wavelengths or what. But I do know those installs have optical filters before the ONT's to filter out the other wavelengths on the fiber.
Google could easily switch the eqipment out on both ends to do WDM-GPON; but they'd have to go to each customers house and install some wavelength filters.
The problem with this is that Google really didn't want to be an ISP. They solely started this "1gpbs" ball rolling in an attempt to get the other companies to step up to compete. The issue is that hasn't worked because Google is selective about what cities they go to; and they may even have problems getting in to areas with the way the providers like to buy off public officials.
It'd be a disaster if you ask me. Verizon's GPON doesn't meet Google's standards; it's two data wavelengths shared among all users. Google would have to spend massive amounts of money upgrading the equipment on both ends of the fiber...all they'd really be getting is a bunch of already laid fiber.