Google Can Ditch Kansas City After Two Years → Re: WOW! Just another Google Beta pgm - no support; walk away

It's always been known this is an R&D experiment. Did anyone really naively think Google is fully committed to being an ISP? If Google decides not to be in the ISP biz, they'll probably just sell the KC network off to Surewest in KC, who already is an FTTH ISP in other areas of KC metro.

Edit: PS, I'm more than willing to beta test. Can easily go back to TWC or ATT. Surewest and Charter are also in KC metro.

How generous of you!
I doubt you'll ever need to go back, the hard part is done, the only question would be how much the "third party" will charge you if google bails out, which depends on 2 things, a the real cost of service plus profit, plus the cost of the freebies google gave like the "Free" tier and library,school and city service discounts, etc. (like all the people who get on "FREE" tier which is price locked for 7 years, the rest of you pay for that) The other part is what part of the capital cost google would attempt to recover by selling it to the third party, it would be a nice network to own DEPENDING on the exact price and conditions the owner is obligated to and if they can reasonable recover the costs through normal rates.

It doesn't really matter to me personally if it flops. Can simply go back to TWC or ATT.

Most R&D is about taking risks with the possibility it may fail, and some aspects of it probably will and some things will be learned. Google needs to keep setting expectations that this is an experiment.

Interestingly nobody talks about the innovation of the "fiberhood". If a company is going to sink capital into a specific geography, it makes sense that the customer base is there to support a profit.

This gets around redlining, because the fibre nodes are there, it just boils down to do the people want the service.

This is a huge experiment, because GOOG is giving away internet for free, one just needs to pay for the equipment.

Part of this may be finding out more effective ways to get the word out, moving to a payment plan, etc to get higher uptake.

The point I am making is that old-skool franchises don't work because it's obvious if there is an area that doesn't want to pay, then why build. Above this, there is no reason if say an area wants 10% vs the fiberhood threshold that they can't devise some wireless way to cover the area, and then if enough people join, wire it.

I think it's brilliant. This is real disruption.

Most customers don't want to be guinea pigs or beta testers once they are paying for a service. They may be ok with that when they are receiving the service free but not when they are being charged for it.

some people like to live in la-la land and think that anything that goes to market will be a success. I love it when companies take risks like this.

Another thing to consider
take a look at the map of Google fi in Mt view. (go ahead, google it)
notice the areas not covered (some mobile home parks, most areas with underground wiring (light poles are privately owned)
shopping centers, storage facilities, a few Apt. complexs. all places that won't sign away ROW (to avoid problems when the land use changes))
Google certain had the money to put up some high power directional AP's to cover the trailer parks throughly and probably most of the apt complexs, but instead choose a "you don't want use? you get nothing !" and carefully blocked of access to those properties.

Failure to generate a positive response could lead to longterm disadvantage to all those in a neighborhood, a fiber(less) slum.
while it appears googleFiber is intended to encourge EVERYONE to get a full connection and see where that leads, it could (maybe not in KC but if more buildouts happen) lead to have and have not areas.

local providers already do this. And the USDOE has ordered the state DOEs to create DASes to put in internet and other resources into schools. It saves $$$$ and brings in an outside non-profit to manage the IT department from ground up.

here is one of them that was created: www.noeca.org

especially when they're paying out the ass for install.

Hardly; it's only $300. That's obviously below cost unless everyone signs up, and it's a rather dense neighbourhood with short driveways.