While a few paid (by Microsoft and AT&T) pundits like Scott Cleland have insisted demand won't be there for Google Fiber, a new survey unsurprisingly finds that Kansas City locals are thrilled about the possibility of symmetrical 1 Gbps for $70. According to a new survey by Ideas & Solutions! Inc., 60% of those who qualify are very interested in obtaining Google Fiber. The company's studies showed that Google Fiber surpassed broadband incumbents on 11 attributes -- even Google's weakest: consumer privacy protection.
The company saw massive national interested by having cities nationwide vie for Google's attention in order to get deployment. Even after Kansas City was selected, national attention on the network build has been unprecedented for the telecom sector.
"Google Fiber has conducted a remarkable marketing campaign," said Glen Friedman, president of Ideas & Solutions! Inc. "Historically, pay TV 'overbuilders' penetrate about one-third of their marketplace over time. This level of interest in the beginning is unprecedented. For Google Fiber, the challenge moving forward is to do an equally good job on the fulfillment."
That may be easier said than done. As we've seen with handset and tablet shipping and support, Google still has plenty to learn when it comes to customer service. Still, the enthusiasm we've seen for Google fiber speaks not only to the quality of Google's marketing, but to the dissatisfaction many consumers have with existing broadband services.