SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Why Google Fiber Is High-Speed Internet's Most Successful Failure (archive)
In the Big Bang Disruption model, where innovations take off suddenly when markets are ready for them, Google Fiber could be seen as a failed early market experiment in gigabit internet access. But what if the company's goal was never to unleash the disrupter itself so much as to encourage incumbent broadband providers to do so, helping Google's expansion in adjacent markets such as video and emerging markets including smart homes? Seen through that lens, Google Fiber succeeded wildly. It stimulated the incumbents to accelerate their own infrastructure investments by several years. New applications and new industries emerged, including virtual reality and the Internet of Things, proving the viability of an "if you build it, they will come" strategy for gigabit services. And in the process, local governments were mobilized to rethink restrictive and inefficient approaches to overseeing network installations.
[...] Google went about announcing locations, and incumbent broadband ISPs, including AT&T, CenturyLink, Comcast, and Time Warner Cable, would quickly counter by promising improved pricing, faster speeds, network upgrades or some combination of the three. A "game of gigs" had erupted. In the end, Google announced plans to build in 34 cities, playing a kind of broadband whack-a-mole game. Incumbents, who initially dismissed the effort as a publicity stunt, accelerated and reprioritized their own deployments city by city as Google announced follow-on expansion.
As the game of gigs played out, city leaders were forced to offer the same administrative advantages to incumbents as they had to Google Fiber. Construction costs fell, and the speed of deployments increased. Only six years after Google's initial announcement, according to the Fiber Broadband Association, 30% of urban residents had access to gigabit Internet service.
Related: Movie Studios Fear a Piracy Surge From Google Fiber
Google Files Letter with FCC Showing Positives of Title II for Broadband Providers
Google Fiber Announces Next 4 Cities to Get 1Gbps
AT&T Charges $29 More for Gigabit Fiber that Doesn't Watch Your Web Browsing
Austinites Outraged as Google Fiber Tears Up Texas Capital
Google Fiber Buys Webpass ISP
After Years Waiting for Google Fiber, KC Residents Get Cancellation E-Mails
FCC Gives Google Fiber and New ISPs Faster Access to Utility Poles
(Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 12 2018, @12:01AM
For a moment, Jackerson froze; someone was screaming for help, and he wasn't sure what course of action he should take. Ultimately, Jackerson chose to investigate the dark parking lot by himself. After running around for several minutes, he finally found the source of the screaming, and his eyes went wide. Jackerson screamed, "What's going on here!?"
An obese, naked man was on top of a naked little boy, brutally violating him. The naked man turned his head towards Jackerson and said, "Hehe! It's yummy yummy to my peepee!" Jackerson could not believe what he was witnessing, and his eyes remained as wide as circles. Was it because what he was seeing was horrible? No. It was because it was so beautiful. What Jackerson was bearing witness to was the very definition of men's rights, and it brought a tear to his eyes.
"Alright, then, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone." Jackerson said, as he was preparing to depart. Even after walking some distance away, Jackerson could still clearly hear the little boy screaming. But after several seconds, a loud snapping sound was heard, and the child never screamed again...
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday September 12 2018, @12:34AM (4 children)
The fiber seems to have all been installed where there was already high speed internet. Sure, the build out probably captured a few more people, here and there, who didn't already have decent service. But, for the most part, some city dwellers got boosted from an already awesome 100 meg up to fiber service.
What about those suburbs that have always had only semi-decent service? And, those other suburbs that have always had sucky service? And, those of us out in the sticks who are still using 2 to 10 meg, because there is nothing better available?
If Google were to draw a nice erratic line across the continent, that missed all well serviced areas, and taking in the most population possible, that would truly be awesome. Just skirt past all those huge metropolitan areas, taking in those suburbs with the crappiest service. Get a bunch of little towns and villages, schools and colleges. One line, right across the continent.
I would be missed again, I'm sure, but if Google set such an example, some of the other providers might do something similar.
There's a lot of money in those suburbs, smaller cities and towns, and flyover counties and villages!
(Score: 3, Interesting) by fyngyrz on Wednesday September 12 2018, @01:53AM
I can't take any attempt to paint Google as actively trying to have "done good" seriously at this point.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by bobthecimmerian on Wednesday September 12 2018, @11:03AM (2 children)
Around me, the cost of gigabit internet broadband from Comcast dropped from $300 per month to $105 per month in the last three years. So the question is whether Comcast was going to roll out the service that aggressively already, or whether competition from Google prompted them. I'm not near one of the Google Fiber cities, though. FIOS isn't even coming to this area, so the only other competition Comcast would get at my house is satellite internet or an unlimited 4G plan.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by SomeGuy on Wednesday September 12 2018, @11:33AM (1 child)
Don't worry, Comcast will make sure to slowly raise the price every few months wile dropping available services or capabilities until the cost reaches or exceeds $300 again and you are left with an internet connection consisting of two tin cans connected by a piece of string.
(Score: 2) by bobthecimmerian on Friday September 14 2018, @02:17AM
Of course. Even though the cost of Comcast gigabit has dropped by $195 per month in the past few years, the cost of lower service levels has gone up. I was on the 150 Mbps plan for more than five years when suddenly my bill went up $15 per month. I went to the local Comcast office to ask about it (there's a tip for the reader - my phone experience with Comcast billing is like an extended stay in the fourth level of hell, but every time I've driven to an office and waited in line to ask a question I got a clear answer in minutes), and the woman just apologized and said Comcast raised prices in my area.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 12 2018, @12:36AM (1 child)
"Moral victory" aka ass whopped.
This post brought to you by Campaign for Real English
(Score: 2, Interesting) by khallow on Wednesday September 12 2018, @11:49AM
Zyman was the guy responsible for the mess. He later did the New Coke mess. It's like there is a pattern.
(Score: 5, Informative) by Snotnose on Wednesday September 12 2018, @02:11AM (1 child)
I've got 3 choices for internet/TV. Uverse, who raised their prices for years until I could no longer see the value in it. But they don't support DOCSIS so if I want to cut the cord they aren't an option. Directv, who has good rates but 2 big shortfalls: 1) where I live, I can't put an antenna to see them; and 2) lag means a lot to me, going from me to a satellite to a ground station to whereever, and back again, results in lag I can't deal with in about 50% of my internet usage. Finally 3) Cox cable Got rid of Uverse last May, switched to Cox. It's fucking unreliable. I'd say, on average, once a week I get "this website cannot be reached", or I'll be watching TV and get the loading icon.
So, Ajit thinks I have 3 suppliers of broadband, when in my mind I only have 1 that works for me.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by takyon on Wednesday September 12 2018, @01:16PM
Starlink is our only hope now.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 4, Interesting) by nobu_the_bard on Wednesday September 12 2018, @03:47PM
Surprised me the other day - RCN's local office was sending actual salesmen around talking about how you don't need Comcast or Verizon. They said those guys might build out to where we are, but who needs them, they don't send people to your door, right? The salesmen were going door to door selling packages and giving people 1-month discounts on whatever they already had or might buy and reminding them to ignore Comcast and Verizon. I haven't seen door-to-door salesmen in over a decade.