The Kansas City Star takes a look at Google's chances of making a successful business out of their 1 Gbps broadband service slated for launch in both Kansas Cities (KS and MO) next year. Google, which is willing to pour up to a billion into the project, is "willing to fail" notes the report -- which is why Google may succeed. The timeline for the project remains intentionally vague, though the first homes should be lit next summer. The company continues to insist that the effort won't be a charity case, and that the Google intends to make a profit on the network, which could require an investment up to $1 billion:While selling 1 Gbps fiber for an expected $50 a month isn't going to recoup their investment anytime soon, the data collected on congestion -- and a platform to test next-generation ads -- could prove invaluable to the company. ISPs traditionally keep real network data performance hidden, and Google stands to learn a lot from a real-world network (and potential TV delivery platform). Google deciding to become a larger-scale ISP remains unlikely.