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Sorry, Google Fiber Really Is Just An Experiment
Though Schmidt Suggests Otherwise, Hints at Expansion

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt this week spoke at The New York Times Dealbook Conference, where he insisted that Google Fiber "isn't just an experiment, it's a real business and we're trying to decide where to expand next." Google Fiber has been widely criticized by incumbent ISPs (and their employees) for being an impractical business model, largely to justify a decade of anti-competitive behavior, sky-high prices and sub-par services and support.

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Earlier this week a Goldman Sachs analyst estimated that building out Google Fiber nationally would cost somewhere around $140 billion, with just half of the country costing somewhere around $70 billion. While that's too much for even Google to eat, a smaller scale effort obviously isn't out of the question.

Contrary to the faux-concern of incumbent-connected pundits, it's not impossible for Google to make a profit targeting these markets. Per home fiber deployment prices continue to drop, and Google's revolutionizing the profit model by focusing primarily on ads and services, while in some instances almost giving connections away. Cities meanwhile are so annoyed with incumbent services they're letting Google sign sweetheart franchise deals that give the search giant all manner of perks -- including the right to walk away after two years if things just don't work out.

It would be very surprising to see Google Fiber expand to anything more than two or three cities in total.
A profit is perfectly possible, it will just take time to wait for returns on the investment -- something most modern investors lack the stomach for. But just because Google can potentially create a profitable broadband industry tidal wave, it doesn't mean they will. You'll likely never see the day Google goes head to head with industry giants like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast in a major market.

As we've noted more than a few times, the goal of Google Fiber is to generate press, gather real-world data on networks and video ad delivery, and light a fire under the pampered behinds of incumbent broadband operators, with the fleeting hope that tomorrow's networks will come just a fraction more quickly to an uncompetitive market.

Google could probably take over the broadband industry if they targeted particularly uncompetitive markets, they'll just ultimately lack the willpower to do so. Over the next few years, Google will likely take the inevitable turn from innovator and disruptor to turf protector, and their interest in these kinds of disruptive projects will wane. It would be very surprising to see Google Fiber expand to anything more than two or three cities in total.

Google will get the information and data they want, cause the ripples they hoped for, then likely get out of the business entirely as executive passions shift. Despite what Schmidt says, Google Fiber really is just one big experiment. It's just an ambitious experiment that Google would prefer to make some money on.
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TBBroadband
join:2012-10-26
Fremont, OH

TBBroadband

Member

Cities?

Only TWO cities have given Google what they wanted. Those cities will be the one footing this bill for YEARS to come after Google sells the network off.

And Schmidt may claim its a real business but in the end, he'll do what his shareholders and investors what. ROI!

No company keeps offering a product that doesn't make any money.
Terabit
join:2008-12-19

Terabit

Member

Re: Cities?

said by TBBroadband:

he'll do what his shareholders and investors what. ROI!

No company keeps offering a product that doesn't make any money.

Which is precisely why more and more of the world is accelerating ahead of us, while we battle tired old and quite frankly disproved gut-feelings and theories.

Had we had this dogma 80 years ago, the majority of us would have have no sewage system, use gravel roads, and use wells for our water supply.

RWers must stop listening to the propaganda of Faux News and pundits on talk-radio and enter the 21st century. Until you do so, the rest of us are stuck here waiting.

ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

ropeguru

Premium Member

Re: Cities?

said by Terabit:

said by TBBroadband:

he'll do what his shareholders and investors what. ROI!

No company keeps offering a product that doesn't make any money.

Which is precisely why more and more of the world is accelerating ahead of us, while we battle tired old and quite frankly disproved gut-feelings and theories.

Had we had this dogma 80 years ago, the majority of us would have have no sewage system, use gravel roads, and use wells for our water supply.

RWers must stop listening to the propaganda of Faux News and pundits on talk-radio and enter the 21st century. Until you do so, the rest of us are stuck here waiting.

So you are upset that we aren't a socilaist country and the government takes care of us? That is the way MOST of these other countries are doing it.

I would MUCH prefer not to have government involvement and things get built out however that may or may not be by private enterprise.
Skippy25
join:2000-09-13
Hazelwood, MO

Skippy25

Member

Re: Cities?

Yes, for some things, utilities for one (which internet is) the government would serve it's people well to provide.

Some things are simply too important and have to large a barrier of entry to rely on the greed soaked business world to provide.
jc10098
join:2002-04-10

1 recommendation

jc10098 to ropeguru

Member

to ropeguru
We are a Socialist Country:

Did you PERSONALLY finance the cost of every road you drive on - No... Every American paid Taxes that AFFORDED YOU the right to have roads. = Socialized.

Did you PERSONALLY build the schools and OWN THEM that your children attend. No... Every American paid Taxes that AFFORDED YOU the rightt = Socialized.

Did you PERSONALLY Cover 100% of the Cost to build Power Grids (Tennessee Valley Authority, etc) to Give Electricity to rural America? No... Every American paid Taxes that AFFORDED YOU the right = Socialized.

Are you PERSONALLY funding 100% of the BILLIONS given to Hospitals and Medical Institutions to find cures for diseases - No... Every American paid Taxes that AFFORDED YOU the right to have world class cures = Socialized.

So on and so forth. Get off your soap box. Unless you are personally creating the infrastructure with your PRIVATE MONEY and OWN what you create, then you are benefiting off the labor of every other America. That's the whole definition of SOCIALIZED. You don't own what's built. The government does.

Guspaz
Guspaz
MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC

1 recommendation

Guspaz

MVM

Re: Cities?

I live in Canada, where we have far more socialized policies than the US, and the official opposition party (which has occasionally polled in first place) is a socialist party.

I'm quite fine with that. And while many Canadians are not socialists (roughly two thirds vote for other parties), it was the founder of that socialist party, the father of our universal healthcare system, who was voted nationally as the "Greatest Canadian".

Few people in Canada, if any, understand the US phobias of concepts like socialism. We just don't get it. What's the big deal? What's so wrong about helping each other out in times of need? Americans act like it's some great evil that will sacrifice their firstborn son, while almost every other country in the world has embraced at least some socialist concepts such as universal healthcare.

I see some of the vitriolic debates that Americans get into on this and other subjects, and can't help but think to myself "What the heck is WRONG with you people? You've got bigger problems than this stuff."

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: Cities?

said by Guspaz:

Few people in Canada, if any, understand the US phobias of concepts like socialism. We just don't get it. What's the big deal? What's so wrong about helping each other out in times of need?

How about because socialism FORCES you to help out thru taxes. It isn't your choice whether to help or not. A lot of Americans aren't comfortable with the FORCED part.

DataRiker
Premium Member
join:2002-05-19
00000

3 recommendations

DataRiker

Premium Member

Re: Cities?

said by FFH5:

How about because socialism FORCES you to help out thru taxes. It isn't your choice whether to help or not. A lot of Americans aren't comfortable with the FORCED part.

No, instead we are forced to pay for our "defense industry" and corporate welfare.

I would much rather dump both in favor of socialized medicine.
Terabit
join:2008-12-19

1 edit

Terabit

Member

Re: Cities?

said by DataRiker:

said by FFH5:

How about because socialism FORCES you to help out thru taxes. It isn't your choice whether to help or not. A lot of Americans aren't comfortable with the FORCED part.

No, instead we are forced to pay for our "defense industry" and corporate welfare.

I would much rather dump both in favor of socialized medicine.

Bingo! This is something these guys fail to grasp or accept. I'm forced to waste my taxes paying for the $750 Billion Defense industry + the $4 Trillion just wasted on two wars.

They just don't seem to like my taxes being invested in building and growing America and Americans. Literally, as stated in our Constitution.

jap
Premium Member
join:2003-08-10
038xx

jap

Premium Member

Re: Cities?

said by Terabit:

Bingo! This is something these guys fail to grasp or accept.

There's little collective consciousness in our culture. I chose to not have children yet help subsidize everyone else's without whining. It's good for my community and my society.

About those wars invasions & occupations, you've barely begun paying for them yet. Iraq was done on deficit.
Terabit
join:2008-12-19

Terabit

Member

Re: Cities?

said by jap:

said by Terabit:

Bingo! This is something these guys fail to grasp or accept.

There's little collective consciousness in our culture. I chose to not have children yet help subsidize everyone else's without whining. It's good for my community and my society.

About those wars invasions & occupations, you've barely begun paying for them yet. Iraq was done on deficit.

Preaching to the choir. Both of the wars were borrowed - $4 Trillion worth - and this was deliberately kept off the books. The interest alone required to pay these wars over 30 years will top an additional $4 Trillion - that's $8,000,000,000,000 that the 'deficit hawks' conveniently ignore.

The negative ROI for this sort of expenditure should land people in jail, it's that bad. Heck, $350 Billion could have payed off Greece's debt - entirely. $2 Trillion could have rebuilt and repaved every road in America. $140 Billion wired every house in America with FTTH. Another $1.5 Trillion to modernize all of our dilapidated and archaic infrastructure throughout america.

That works out to be just shy of $3.99 Trillion. Can you imagine what this sort of expenditure would have done for American and the world? We are taking about millions of new jobs, new businesses, and so forth.
jc10098
join:2002-04-10

jc10098

Member

Re: Cities?

But but but.. Think of all the jobs war creates... Surely, 4 Trillion lining the pockets of arms dealers and corporate America was worth the sacrifice... (sarcasm).

PapaMidnight
join:2009-01-13
Baltimore, MD

PapaMidnight to DataRiker

Member

to DataRiker
said by DataRiker:

said by FFH5:

How about because socialism FORCES you to help out thru taxes. It isn't your choice whether to help or not. A lot of Americans aren't comfortable with the FORCED part.

No, instead we are forced to pay for our "defense industry" and corporate welfare.

I would much rather dump both in favor of socialized medicine.

I find myself inclined to agree.
cpuoverck
join:2012-09-29

1 recommendation

cpuoverck to DataRiker

Member

to DataRiker
said by DataRiker:

said by FFH5:

How about because socialism FORCES you to help out thru taxes. It isn't your choice whether to help or not. A lot of Americans aren't comfortable with the FORCED part.

No, instead we are forced to pay for our "defense industry" and corporate welfare.

I would much rather dump both in favor of socialized medicine.

Why not just dump all three and live life as free people?

Why should we be willing slaves to our government? It should be rewarding us for not needing government services, if there was any justic!

You can not truly be free if the government is forcing you to buy curly fry light bulbs and low flow toilets.

Our U. S. government was intended to allow us to live as free people. The rights we had 100 years ago have been gradually stolen by plutocrats and politicians, working together, to concentrate power over the way people live, always with the excuse of 'good intentions' to the point that they have been able to take control of the peoples health care, something the Constitution never gave them the right to do. We are 51 governments in the United States, but one is stealing the power of the 50, as the Tenth Amendment was supposed to prevent.

We are well on the 'Road to Serfdom' thanks to liberals and crapatlists. All this while liberals take the decision about what kind of sack I use to bring my groceries home in. I guess that taking away peoples free choices in order to make them happy is what liberalism really about.

I don't like it, and I guess that makes me a bad person. Sorry but go to hell is the only proper response to this kind of liberal.

DataRiker
Premium Member
join:2002-05-19
00000

1 edit

DataRiker

Premium Member

Re: Cities?

said by cpuoverck:

Why not just dump all three and live life as free people?

Because not living with looming bankruptcy for even minor illness gives more freedom than you can possibly imagine.

As a libertarian I have made a long pondered decision to bend my beliefs when it comes to healthcare for practical realities.

First, big business and big government already control healthcare, thus the neocon position you spout is extremely disingenuous and outright stupid.

Secondly, the liberal position on healthcare is equally weak. If your going to fight for universal health care, go on and do it. Completely socialize it and be done with it.

What really changed my mind was living in a country with socialized medicine, and how much more advanced and accessible it was than our own. The US may be a research leader in medicine, but it is a pathetic straggler when it comes to giving healthcare
TheRogueX
join:2003-03-26
Springfield, MO

TheRogueX

Member

Re: Cities?

said by DataRiker:

What really changed my mind was living in a country with socialized medicine, and how much more advanced and accessible it was than our own. The US may be a research leader in medicine, but it is a pathetic straggler when it comes to giving healthcare

Wow, it's amazing to see that socialized medicine worked so well in that country that it changed the mind of a libertarian.
dra6o0n
join:2011-08-15
Mississauga, ON

dra6o0n to cpuoverck

Member

to cpuoverck
Seriously?

Humans are beings that needs socialization and community, the idea of being 'free' is just a petty idea that everyone dreams up.

You are just a naive kid, who doesn't understand the complexity of this world.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to FFH5

Premium Member

to FFH5
I didnt like my taxes bailing out banks but I had no choice but to still pay them. I think we should have let those greedy Motherfsckers burn. To Big to Fail is a load of bullshit from Faux News.

facts matter
@qwest.net

facts matter

Anon

Re: Cities?

Just thought I would point out, Fox news and most of the conservative talk hosts were adamantly AGAINST the bank bailout. "to big to fail" was a quote from the Obama administration, yet the bulk of these posts blame the conservatives for it. Sounds like you need to get your facts straight. You may be supporting the side you don,t believe in!
WhatNow
Premium Member
join:2009-05-06
Charlotte, NC

WhatNow

Premium Member

Re: Cities?

Yes but it was the Bush admin that did not want to regulate anything and allowed the housing finance bubble to grow and then pop. Most of the bailouts were already in progress before Obama was sworn in. That said I am for a real balanced budget every year. If a war is that important then pay for it as you go. In fact when they vote to go to war they vote to pay for it in a separate war tax. Don't wrap yourself in the flag if you are not willing to buy the flag.

Back to the subject at hand. It is alright for the government to help fund the fiber builds but they should treated like a private cable company. Taxes should not be charged to people that do not use the service. Like water if you do not use it there is no cost to the individual homeowner. The government should just provide the fiber and let private content providers provide the content.
dra6o0n
join:2011-08-15
Mississauga, ON

dra6o0n to Kearnstd

Member

to Kearnstd
You don't realize that every faction (in this case the people, government, banks, and corporations) have their own needs and desires, agendas and goals.
It's much more complex than you are spouting up.
betam4x
join:2002-10-12
Nashville, TN

betam4x to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
So move to a damn island somewhere, defend your island from me attacking you for your coconuts, and pay for yourself when you get cancer and need medical assistance. It annoys me how people like you have no grasp on reality. The world would not be where it is without some socialism. Our country was FOUNDED on it. If you don't like it, GET OUT. Your opinion is UNPOPULAR, Antarctica is waiting, MOVE THERE.
Expand your moderator at work
CXM_Splicer
Looking at the bigger picture
Premium Member
join:2011-08-11
NYC

CXM_Splicer to FFH5

Premium Member

to FFH5
said by FFH5:

said by Guspaz:

Few people in Canada, if any, understand the US phobias of concepts like socialism. We just don't get it. What's the big deal? What's so wrong about helping each other out in times of need?

How about because socialism FORCES you to help out thru taxes. It isn't your choice whether to help or not. A lot of Americans aren't comfortable with the FORCED part.

How about that many Americans are not comfortable with the FORCED part about paying taxes to kill people in far away lands? Where is your outrage there?

edit: Sorry, I didn't realize that had already been brought up when I posted, I am playing catch-up and didn't read ahead!
Kommie2 (banned)
join:2003-05-13
united state

Kommie2 (banned) to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
I am not comfortable being forced to fund the military industrial complex through my taxes either.
jc10098
join:2002-04-10

jc10098 to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
So then please take a stand and don't use the roads, schools, hospitals, infrastructure, and all the other goodies brought to you courtesy of the few hundred million American Taxpayers. These services are provided with funds pooled into a universal pot and dolled out for X projects. You nor I neither own these "Public" entities. The government runs and controls all the above through funding (hospitals and research) or direct involvement.

Guess you best can get to living like the days of Little House on the Prairie.

dnoth
@comcast.net

dnoth

Anon

Re: Cities?

said by jc10098:

You nor I neither own these "Public" entities.

Except if the sidewalk is in front of your house is icy, and someone slips on it. Then the government quickly claims you are responsible for that section of sidewalk, ergo the injured party can rightfully sue you for medical expenses incurred from the slip/fall.
Expand your moderator at work
TheRogueX
join:2003-03-26
Springfield, MO

TheRogueX to Guspaz

Member

to Guspaz

Re: Cities?

If you want to understand the US's phobia of socialism, read up on your history of the First and Second Red Scares in US history. Pay special attention to the McArthy era, which was during the Second Red Scare. The Right Wing of American politics has managed to completely brainwash Americans into believing that socialism = communism. Plus, since socialism is a threat to the American form of capitalism, the men in charge want to keep the citizenry ignorant and brainwashed, all in the name of profit.
dra6o0n
join:2011-08-15
Mississauga, ON

dra6o0n

Member

Re: Cities?

Gee, this makes the post-apocalyptic world a much better alternative for the US then lol!
avgbowler
join:2005-08-10
Venice, CA

1 recommendation

avgbowler to jc10098

Member

to jc10098
Hmmm, I think you are wrong about cures for diseases.

Also, TVA is the only quasi government agency that wired one small area of the US. That was done by private business.

The 1st freeway in the US was built by a private company, and so were the railroads.

Again, get off of this socialist kick, and get your facts right.

Also, before the take over by private government, the education system was private. Oh yeah, are the best schools and univiersities public or private?

cousintim
join:2004-10-10
Dallas, TX

cousintim

Member

Re: Cities?

said by avgbowler:

The 1st freeway in the US was built by a private company, and so were the railroads.

Again, get off of this socialist kick, and get your facts right.

Get YOUR facts right.

The first long-distance, limited-access highway in the United States was the Pennsylvania Turnpike and it most certainly was publicly built.

The U.S. government provided significant funding for the transcontinental railroad with the Pacific Railroad Acts, starting in 1862, in the form of bonds and land grants. The cities of San Francisco and Sacramento also provided bond funding.

I hate to break it to you, but "we are all socialists now."

»www.freedomride.us/wp-co ··· week.jpg

Mark
I stand with my feet
join:2009-07-11
Canada

1 recommendation

Mark to jc10098

Member

to jc10098
And who owns the government? The people do. And all those "rights" you speak of look like privileges to me. Oh, and you were founded as a republic, and flourished as a free market capitalist society and you didn't really start to flush yourselves down the shitter until mentalities like yours tipped the balance of power from producers to the free shit army. Congrats you are winning, unfortunately the prize will have to be shared by all...oh wait that is just how you like it, fair with the loosers lumped in with the producers and ribbons for all.
TheRogueX
join:2003-03-26
Springfield, MO

TheRogueX

Member

Re: Cities?

Do you know what the country was like when 'producers' had all the power? Children worked in sweatshops. People worked all week, as many hours as the plants could force them to; 40 hour workweeks were nonexistent. Vacation? Hell no. Overtime? LOL. Safe working conditions? Hahahahaha. Living wage? Not if we can help it!

Is that how you'd rather our country work?
CXM_Splicer
Looking at the bigger picture
Premium Member
join:2011-08-11
NYC

CXM_Splicer to ropeguru

Premium Member

to ropeguru
said by ropeguru:

I would MUCH prefer not to have government involvement and things get built out however that may or may not be by private enterprise.

Why, specifically?
Terabit
join:2008-12-19

Terabit to ropeguru

Member

to ropeguru
said by ropeguru:

So you are upset that we aren't a socilaist country and the government takes care of us? That is the way MOST of these other countries are doing it.

I would MUCH prefer not to have government involvement and things get built out however that may or may not be by private enterprise.

First off, without Gov, small has-been cities (areas) like Richmond would be Detroit. You do realize that the bread and butter of the Richmond area comes from NOVA and Tidewater area - all Gov.

You guys seem to confuse Socialism for Communism and the defense jobs so many rightist rely on in red states. All socialism means is that the Governments own and operate 'crucial' industries; it does not "give you anything".

Like I said earlier, because of what "prefer" the rest of the nation who actually produces the GDP and pay the bills (Democrat States) are left waiting. If you guys are not interested in progressing, fine, but don't hold our nation back.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

2 recommendations

FFH5 to Terabit

Premium Member

to Terabit
said by Terabit:

Which is precisely why more and more of the world is accelerating ahead of us, while we battle tired old and quite frankly disproved gut-feelings and theories.

And where would that be? Asia where all the workers are toiling away for slave wages. Europe, country by country going broke under the burden of unaffordable social services.

•••
silbaco
Premium Member
join:2009-08-03
USA

1 recommendation

silbaco to Terabit

Premium Member

to Terabit
You want the government to pay for ftth for you? That's great, but.... The government is broke. End of story.

On a side note... I have no problem with living on a gravel road. And using well water and a septic tank has saved me a considerable amount of money over the years.

•••••••

Mike
Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA

Mike to TBBroadband

Mod

to TBBroadband
Google was ruined because of this investor centered short term quarterly profit projections.

It used to be an innovation company. Now it's basically a giant advertising and data mining firm.

•••
BeakersBro
join:2011-06-24

BeakersBro to TBBroadband

Member

to TBBroadband
said by TBBroadband:

Only TWO cities have given Google what they wanted. Those cities will be the one footing this bill for YEARS to come after Google sells the network off.

And Schmidt may claim its a real business but in the end, he'll do what his shareholders and investors what. ROI!

No company keeps offering a product that doesn't make any money.

You are being silly - there wouldn't be any bill for the cities to foot. If Google walked away and gave their physical plant to the city, someone would have an opportunity for large profits since most of the expense is in physical plant and not operations - particularly with a relatively new network.

that would be even more of a bonus for the cities.
CXM_Splicer
Looking at the bigger picture
Premium Member
join:2011-08-11
NYC

CXM_Splicer to TBBroadband

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to TBBroadband
said by TBBroadband:

No company keeps offering a product that doesn't make any money.

Actually, Walmart does that quite often to deliberately destroy competition.

dnoth
@comcast.net

dnoth

Anon

Re: Cities?

said by CXM_Splicer:

Actually, Walmart does that quite often to deliberately destroy competition.

In fact, not only do they sell things that don't make money, they sell a lot of things at a loss for that exact reason.

Theirs TVs are sold at anywhere from 0% profit, to 10% loss, with the expectation on the employees to make that up by shoving equipment protection plans and other "addons"--such as 100% marked up HDMI cables, 90% marked up remote controls, or 40-60% marked up surge protectors--in your face at point-of-sale.

Next time you walk into a Walmart (or pretty much any retail store, for that matter), take notice where the Electronics department is located in relation to the entrance; it is likely tucked away in one of the far corners of the store, thereby forcing you to walk by other departments that might distract you on the way in/out.

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK

KrK to TBBroadband

Premium Member

to TBBroadband
And exactly what bill will the cities be footing, exactly?

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

Bell System

AT&T/Bell System wired the nation for telephone, so it is possible for Google to wire the nation for Internet. The sticking point is the political climate (subsidies, USF, etc).

I am sure if Bell Labs was still around, they'd figure out a way to deliver 1 GBPS over a copper telephone line. I was not around during the monopoly years (I was 2 months old when they broke up the phone company) but it seems the incumbent ISPs are behaving like the old AT&T/Bell System in terms of control. The Bell divestiture lead to the dirt cheap telephone service we have today and breaking up big cable companies would do the same for broadband.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA

Sammer

Member

If Google really wants to light a fire

If Google really wants to light a fire under the pampered behinds of incumbent broadband providers they should consider bringing Google Fiber to about 20% of the homes in the country. Unfortunately the reality is that Google fiber probably is just an experiment and Google is no longer ambitious enough to make a real difference.

cableties
Premium Member
join:2005-01-27

cableties

Premium Member

Re: If Google really wants to light a fire

What Google really needs to do is expand the fiber in markets unserved. Rural farm-centers in the NE, SE, MW, PNW, MR and SW.
Creating central datacenters, hub-sites, in these areas, might just spark a "build it out and they will come". If a business can setup with low overhead, low-tax enterprise zoning, bean-counters might relocate expensive properties to cheaper ones (they would rather sell off, lay-off, relocated and have new structures built if they could write it all off...).
When a big company starts leasing up land, putting in corporate offices, satellites, storage and other buildings, realtors notice, as do developers. Next come ratables, boxes, housing, support stores, infrastructure boosts...
All cyclic...
silbaco
Premium Member
join:2009-08-03
USA

silbaco

Premium Member

Woohoo! Ads!

I'd rather keep my privacy and pay money every month than let google datamine my data so I could get free or super fast service.

•••••••••••••
NoHereNoMo
join:2012-12-06

NoHereNoMo

Member

So... it's a "beta".

At least they didn't call it "Google Wave" (because we know what that would portend--"oooh"... "ahhh"... splat!).

battleop
join:2005-09-28
00000

battleop

Member

Really? No kidding?

"Earlier this week a Goldman Sachs analyst estimated that building out Google Fiber nationally would cost somewhere around $140 billion, with just half of the country costing somewhere around $70 billion"

LOL, Really? I would love to see the calculations that were done to reach this conclusion.

••••••
brianiscool
join:2000-08-16
Tampa, FL
·Charter

brianiscool

Member

GOOGLE

You should hit the market where it would effect the market the most. Launch in Miami, Florida. Their prices are extremely high. Look at the Comcast Business Plans $349 a month for 100Mbps. You could blast that market out of the water!
Also Comcast and AT&T have caps. If you can penetrate a large market like that you will be set.
JTR
join:2012-05-19
Westmont, IL

JTR

Member

Re: GOOGLE

Business != Residential. It's a completely different market. Google hasn't even released business plans yet.

pende_tim
Premium Member
join:2004-01-04
Selbyville, DE

pende_tim

Premium Member

Won't happen

Any serious google fiber will be stopped cold by the incumbents having laws passed (like North Carolina ) that make it almost impossible to put a plan together and get permits.

JL
@12.154.49.x

JL

Anon

Re: Won't happen

hmmm, the incumbents (AT&T, Time Warner, Comcast) didn't stop it here in KC. What Google did was negotiate so THEY could choose where they would serve....and they based it on uptake from the consumers. They advertised the packages for residential users AND gave away free connections to schools and libraries in the areas served. Google's advantage was simply this...they don't have to serve areas where there are no customer who desire their service which is in stark contrast to what the incumbents normally have to do when entering a service area.

And yes folks, it is real and it is happening
just not in your town )
pkorx8
join:2003-06-19
San Francisco, CA

pkorx8

Member

Down the street from Google... but still no choice for ISP

I live literally down the street from the Google mothership in Mountainview. I wished I have a choice for ISP's but I don't. I'm stuck with Comcast.
axus
join:2001-06-18
Washington, DC

axus

Member

Re: Down the street from Google... but still no choice for ISP

Didn't they put up free WiFi everywhere?
ConstantineM
join:2011-09-02
San Jose, CA

ConstantineM

Member

GoogleWiFi in Mtn View

The WiFi is quite limited. And it hardly covers Castro St in the Downtown to any consistent level, not to mention the more remote areas. I've tried using it in the downtown, and it's a complete hit or miss, even outdoor coverage is spotty as you walk down the street.

A friend lived across the street from downtown, she said no coverage within her apartment on the second floor of a two-story building; another friend lived on the outskirts of Mtn View, said still no coverage (supposedly the other street did have some coverage).

I would imagine that Google WiFi is only useful for actual Google engineers who live in Mtn View and are qualified enough to assemble equipment good enough to receive it. :-) (Plus have the extra time on their hards apart from being busy at Google, of course!) And, perhaps, as a backup connection for RedHat.com and Mozilla.org. ;-)

Even the various eating places on Castro St have very spotty GoogleWiFi coverage, something that I would have thought Google and the business owners would have taken care of; nope, nothing!

(Can't really blame Google, though; it's probably more of the limitation of the WiFi technology itself... It's not like they can just do complete magic out of thin air and get every property owner on the same page!)

But I completely agree regarding the Bay Area, completely no competition, lots of apartment complexes with Cat5e and Cat6 are all sitting in the dark. (»Cat5e in Bay Area large new res buildings left unused?)

And »Paxio.net is more like a mythical creature. (»Is Paxio real? Do they really offer service in San Jose?)

If you're specifically in SF, you might have some luck with »webpass.net, though. And, of course, »Sonic.net in some parts of the North Bay. :-)
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

proving ground

the easier thing to do is to be cynical about google's intentions going forward.. but Ks and Mo are proving grounds which are making incumbents nervous. two cities barely serve 1+ million customers (residential and busineses). multiply that by 10 cities, 20, cities, 1,000 cities.. then the incumbent markets that the big 3-4 telco/cablecos have will start to figure out some way to try and stop google from expanding.

for as long as Verizon keeps advertising they have the fastest speeds in the country it's worth repeating they do not.. at least add the caveat "of any major provider".. that should convince Google to begin expansion to four cities this time, instead of two, then eight, sixteen, etc.

the comparisons would stop if Verizon just broke down and offered 1gbits symmetrical in place of the 300mit tier.. shut everyone up for 2013.
betam4x
join:2002-10-12
Nashville, TN

betam4x

Member

Google needs to play the ISPs

What is better than building a 140 billion dollar network? Threatening to build a 140 billion dollar network! If just 10% of the US population (COUNTING millions of businesses, even though i'm being conservative in this estimate...) paid $100 for service, it'd pay for itself in a few years. Google could flip an entire industry on it's head easily. THAT is why they are doing this. It's not about building a network, it's reminding everyone else they CAN build a network...

Devleoper
@rr.com

Devleoper

Anon

This article is full of suppositions

Total garbage.