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Google to bring fibre to US homes
INTERNET OCTOPUS Google has just announced that it intends to roll out an experimental fibre to the home service in the US. At least in areas where the local population takes an interest.
In a blog post, Google said it was keen to test the high-speed Internet service in a "small number of trial locations" across the US, adding that its fibre infrastructure will enable Internet speeds up to 100 times faster than what most American punters currently enjoy. Or moan about, depending on how slow they think it is.
By rolling out a high-speed, 1GB per second fibre connection, the firm hopes to shake up net neutrality, and it is helping itself to achieve this by offering competitive pricing for the service and making it 'open access', giving users a choice of providers.
Google said that it will offer the service to between 50,000 and 500,000 customers, but it added that in order to achieve this it will have to have the support of interested communities, and it has posted a video in which it is appealing for those interested to come forward.
Referring to an earlier trial involving free WiFi, Google product managers Minnie Ingersoll and James Kelly wrote, "Like our WiFi network in Mountain View, the purpose of this project is to experiment and learn. Network providers are making real progress to expand and improve high-speed Internet access, but there's still more to be done. We don't think we have all the answers - but through our trial, we hope to make a meaningful contribution to the shared goal of delivering faster and better Internet for everyone."
Rolling out the high-speed fibre network will have many benefits, they added, and the pair hope to see developers make the most of those. "We want to see what developers and users can do with ultra high speeds, whether it's creating new bandwidth-intensive 'killer apps' and services, or other uses we can't yet imagine," they wrote. Also on the agenda will be Google's own investigations into how best to build up and roll-out fibre based high-speed networks.
Any municipalities that want to express an interest to take part have until the 26th March to do so. µ
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The article talks about "1GB per second fibre connection"; that capital B is Bytes. The Google blog post it is based on talks about "1 gigabit per second". Bits, not bytes. You would think anyone writing for The Inquirer would have sorted out the difference by now.
This is Google's way of telling the incumbent telecoms to get off their fat lazy posteriors' and roll out fiber or be destroyed. Who else would have the cajones to do that? I so want this in my city!
For the tin foil hat crowd: it's called encryption. Look into it. Do you really think that Google will be any worse than any other vendor?
Edison was a right bastard who stole half of his "ideas" from Nikola tesla which trying to discredit his AC current. If world listened to Edison .. we would not have 20th Century as it was. - Maybe not even being able to post this comment.
While I think Goog has right ideas, its business .. sooner or later it will become more evil than the Evil Empire MS - who wasnt evil for long
With experience from my local service provider. "Fiber Cable" doesn't always mean a fiber cable speed for you. They can CAP your speed limit to, lets say, 512kbps...with the "Fiber Cable" price.
Evil or not, I hope Google's plans increases the amount of broadband competition so that the current stock of complacent providers seek to expand their services and reduce prices.
nonevil, that was a superb example of modern jingoism; bravo, Sir! USA! USA! USA!
When Google Praises 100X. its' Downgrade. 1/100th of 1gb is 10 Mb/s & if 4.7 Gb Movie takes 5 Mnutes thats 10Mb/s. SLOWER if You Compress IT .
So Its Hokie Impulse thangie, Marketed Under NATIONAL BROADCASTING . NBP.
Yet, if its $49.99 it might be in same field with differnt taint. Morphing into copper isn't ALL That Impossible in that NO DEMO System is Displayed.
WARING Will robinson, WARNING, Its' Creaky Gullet Taht Speaks For 50,000.
I guess two of the people providing comments reading is lacking with technology. Millions of homes already have fiber connection therefore claming "Google is like the Thomas Edison" is nonsense. Google placed a backdoor in their system for the NSA and that is how the hackers enter the system. There is no proof the Chinese hack the system only opinions. People really need to read and research before spreading propaganda. One comment hit the nail on the head; Google is a spy for the government.
Hey Goatie - you are under a veil of spin.
Thomas Edison was an intelligent man whose innovations have enhanced modern civilisation ...
...but by all accounts he was a right utter bastard. Copyright Nazi and Master of Spin in the blowing of his own trumpet (e.g. arguing for AC current over a rival's recommended DC for domestic supply).
So probably Joogle is a bit like them!
@jilocasin
- Who stood up to the Chinese when everyone else (like Microsoft/Bill Gates, which advocates just rolling over and "taking it").
- If you are so paranoid, here are more disturbing ideas to haunt you: do you use a Microsoft OS or any other close-source product? Do you ever wonder what that non-auditable closed-source code is doing with all your information? Do you wonder what Microsoft is doing with your "Bing" search data and your "windows live" data?
- At least Google uses open source code in their products (Android, Chrome, Chrome OS) so you know they are open to audit. And by their actions (standing up to the Chinese) they seem a lot less evil than the sordid history of oppression and aggression which is attached to Microsoft.
I would suggest you put on you special, hand-crafted Reynold-wrap hat and go to your happy place now.
It's the next logical step for a company that wants to track everything you do. If you don't use Google, you can presently _try_ to stay off their radar (Google affiliates are _everywhere_). If you use them or their services (gmail, GoogleDocs) it's harder. If you run Chromium or the GoogleOS they know even more about you. If they own the wires.... well it's game over.
Hmmm, didn't they just announce bringing the NSA (we spy on everyone and don't care about no stinkin law)?
One stop shopping.
I would feel better if they weren't so obsessive about collecting data on everyone and keeping it forever (their not-really, we can reverse it when ever we want, anonymization not withstanding).
just my $0.005.
But I think they really believe in their "Don't be evil," mantra.
If you look at the things they do, Google is like the Thomas Edison of information. Assuming a healthy dose of government oversight is applied, Google is a boon to society. As long as the various governments don't slack off in their watchdog roles, Google is awesome.