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Overland Park Will Get Google Fiber After All

Most cities have rather quickly buckled to Google's demands in order to get Google Fiber into their towns, even if those deals aren't particularly great for the communities themselves. Recently, Overland Park, Kansas became the first city to hold up Google Fiber over indemnification and liability concerns, resulting in what appeared to be Google moving on to greener pastures.

The message sent by Google (and the annoyance of locals) appears to be received loud and clear. Overland Park has since agreed to all of Google's original demands and is now on the cusp of getting Google Fiber:

quote:
Google and Overland Park officials had struck a preliminary deal last fall. Then on the evening it was set for a vote, some council members posed a few questions about liability issues. That prompted Google officials to ask for a delay in the vote.

At the next meeting, the council had put aside its concerns and was eager to vote for the Google deal in its original form. But Google walked away — surprising the council and city staff.

That move was seen by industry analysts as the tech giant sending a signal. Cities desperately wanted the broadband speed and high-tech cachet of Google Fiber. But Google would rather go elsewhere than put up with too much local regulation — even in what would appear to be the most lucrative part of the Kansas City market.
While there are certain questions to be asked regarding local rights in the face of Google demands, these are pretty clearly questions that aren't a priority right now in the face of potentially getting significantly better broadband.
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gaforces (banned)
United We Stand, Divided We Fall
join:2002-04-07
Santa Cruz, CA

gaforces (banned)

Member

Bend Over

So's google can put the thing.
Might be a better idea to install fiber yourselves, plenty of graduates to hire to run it.

jchambers28
Premium Member
join:2007-05-12
Peculiar, MO

jchambers28

Premium Member

Re: Bend Over

Overland Park is where the posh and rich live.

tiger72
SexaT duorP
Premium Member
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO

1 recommendation

tiger72

Premium Member

Re: Bend Over

Yep, and last I checked they had surewest fiber access there before Google came along. They certainly don't need to bend over unless they felt it to be beneficial to them...
ITGeeks
join:2014-04-20
Cleveland, OH

ITGeeks

Member

Re: Bend Over

It's also home to Sprint USA, and Gap/Old Navy and other well known companies/brands.

But at the end of the day- it will take YEARS before Overland Park even gets the GF.
tvoldtimer
join:2010-09-16
Shawnee, KS

tvoldtimer to tiger72

Member

to tiger72
said by tiger72:

Yep, and last I checked they had surewest fiber access there before Google came along. They certainly don't need to bend over unless they felt it to be beneficial to them...

Surewest (now Consolitated) $80/mo for 30Mbps or Google Fiber 1Gb for $70/mo....Which would you pick?
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray

Member

Re: Bend Over

said by tvoldtimer:

Surewest (now Consolitated) $80/mo for 30Mbps or Google Fiber 1Gb for $70/mo....Which would you pick?

I'd take Surewest for 30Mbps at the $30/month they actually charge, for the next two years, rather than wait for GF to deliver some day at $70+/month or fret over a mythical "standard price" that I've never had to pay.

In two years, if Google has actually deployed, I would evaluate their service, but given the choice between $70+/month with forced-bundling for pay-tv, versus a much lower price-point for already-fantastic broadband speeds, I suspect, I would choose to stick with Surewest/Consolidated or whatever their name is then.
tvoldtimer
join:2010-09-16
Shawnee, KS

tvoldtimer

Member

Re: Bend Over

said by elray:

with forced-bundling for pay-tv,

Where do you get the idea there is forced bundling?
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray

Member

Re: Bend Over

said by tvoldtimer:

said by elray:

with forced-bundling for pay-tv,

Where do you get the idea there is forced bundling?

Has something changed?

Last I noted, you could not buy Google's pay-tv product for less than $120/month - as you are required to buy the $70 Gbit service.
tvoldtimer
join:2010-09-16
Shawnee, KS

tvoldtimer

Member

Re: Bend Over

Sorry, I misunderstood your reference, I thought you were saying you couldn't get internet without TV.
Rakeesh
join:2011-10-30
Phoenix, AZ

Rakeesh

Member

Re: Bend Over

That's what I thought. I mean who the fuck gets TV without internet these days? Shit, I do internet with no TV service myself.
tvoldtimer
join:2010-09-16
Shawnee, KS

1 edit

tvoldtimer to jchambers28

Member

to jchambers28
said by jchambers28:

Overland Park is where the posh and rich live.

Wow, thanks. I didn't know I was either posh or rich!

jchambers28
Premium Member
join:2007-05-12
Peculiar, MO

-1 recommendation

jchambers28

Premium Member

The rich bastards dont need Goolge fiber.

I was born in Raised in Lee's summit. I want to see my brother get it. The rich bastards in Overland park and Olathe don't need.

Packeteers
Premium Member
join:2005-06-18
Forest Hills, NY
Asus RT-AC3100
(Software) Asuswrt-Merlin

2 edits

Packeteers

Premium Member

Re: The rich bastards dont need Goolge fiber.

1%'er "rich bastards" are used to getting their way, even if it's counter productive. on the other hand, i do hope google is learning from it's other builds how not to piss off the locals as they push through on last mile installs. think of it another way... if you owned a $3mil house - what would be more important to you, getting cheap 1gig fiber or marring your property value... i thought so.

jchambers28
Premium Member
join:2007-05-12
Peculiar, MO

jchambers28

Premium Member

Re: The rich bastards dont need Goolge fiber.

If you want to know anything about the kansas city area let me know. I still have family there. I moved away because of the high prices of living there.
existenz
join:2014-02-12

1 recommendation

existenz

Member

Re: The rich bastards dont need Goolge fiber.

Lee's Summit, Lenexa, Olathe, Mission Woods have similar income level and have had agreements, your point is not valid. Mission Hills and Leawood have much higher income and have Google agreements. OP is one of largest burbs, not wealthiest.

Google went for the lowest income city in metro first - KC, KS. Not something to be bitter about.
ITGeeks
join:2014-04-20
Cleveland, OH

ITGeeks

Member

Re: The rich bastards dont need Goolge fiber.

Actually Indeed states that the average income per person between OP and Olathe is only 1,000$ difference. With Olathe having $54k. I've seen much higher in Cleveland burbs, and they have FTTH WITHOUT Google.

HSDays
join:2007-11-26
Reynoldsburg, OH

HSDays

Member

Re: The rich bastards dont need Goolge fiber.

There's FTTH in Cleveland Suburbs? Maybe I'm missunderstanding your post?

chip89
Premium Member
join:2012-07-05
Columbia Station, OH

chip89

Premium Member

Re: The rich bastards dont need Goolge fiber.

Hell No there is not! & it looks like there will never be.
sonicmerlin
join:2009-05-24
Cleveland, OH

sonicmerlin to ITGeeks

Member

to ITGeeks
I can tell you from (painful) personal experience there is no FTTH in any of Cleveland's suburbs. If you've found some sort of diamond in the rough, please do tell.

chip89
Premium Member
join:2012-07-05
Columbia Station, OH

chip89

Premium Member

Re: The rich bastards dont need Goolge fiber.

& it looks like since we have cable & At&t there never will be.
46436203 (banned)
join:2013-01-03

46436203 (banned) to Packeteers

Member

to Packeteers
Getting cheap 1gig fiber would exponentially increase property value.
existenz
join:2014-02-12

existenz

Member

Re: The rich bastards dont need Goolge fiber.

Not exponentially but if your neighborhood and city within metro has it and next door doesn't, you have an edge.
tvoldtimer
join:2010-09-16
Shawnee, KS

tvoldtimer to jchambers28

Member

to jchambers28
said by jchambers28:

The rich bastards in Overland park and Olathe don't need.

Looks like you picked the right place to live. Suits your personality.

amishdave
@66.64.113.x

amishdave to jchambers28

Anon

to jchambers28
I don't know where you get your facts, but plenty of people live in Overland Park who aren't rich...I only make 40k a year and live right in the middle of it. It's a large part of the greater KC area, and encompasses much of Johnson county.
jtel
join:2005-06-28
Bristol, RI

jtel

Member

They Can Run Fiber to my Home Whenever They Want

I'm not getting FIOS anytime this century and for what I pay now I'd be getting 1GB with Google.
OwlSaver
OwlSaver
Premium Member
join:2005-01-30
Berwyn, PA

OwlSaver

Premium Member

Community agreements are too much

In the early days of cable people wanted TV so there were no agreements. Once the cable companies started making money, the communities wanted all sorts of things out of the franchise agreements - many completed unrelated to cable TV. It is reasonable for the cable companies to pay a fee for the use of poles and right of way. All the other stuff is ridiculous and the cost is passed on to the subscribers. I hope Google changes the way these deals are structured.
existenz
join:2014-02-12

existenz

Member

7000 miles fiber laid so far in KC

And for those critical of signup method, they have opened it back up in KCK and Central KCMO. Is not a one time shot as many think...

»www.bizjournals.com/kans ··· nty.html

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt

Premium Member

Let the trenching begin...

Click for full size
... I hope you've got good homeowners insurance, cause sometimes we get a little bit off track.

fiosultimate
join:2014-06-09
San Antonio, TX

fiosultimate

Member

Re: Let the trenching begin...

They better bend over and lubricate quiet well, its gonna be a tight squeeze, its goona be a virgin hole, no other fiber has been dug there before

anon1234
@67.53.163.x

anon1234

Anon

Re: Let the trenching begin...

Sure west has fiber all over the place there.
rmmoody
join:2001-02-15
Leawood, KS

rmmoody

Member

Re: Let the trenching begin...

As do several other providers. One of the approved items was to allow Google access to OP's existing fiber huts.

In other news, at least now I have some hope of getting google fiber in my lifetime.

fiosultimate
join:2014-06-09
San Antonio, TX

fiosultimate to anon1234

Member

to anon1234
Not for residential customers, they will soon learn a more aggressive provider might pound the hole too hard

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