[olug] Google Fiber home Internet sevice RFI

[Christopher Cashell]

On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 10:06 PM, T. J. Brumfield <enderandrew at gmail.com> wrote:
> If Google does allow Cox to remain the ISP, Google will own every inch
> if fiber, to the home, and lease it to Cox on the understanding the
> price is cheap, and that they maintain network neutrality. If they
> don't, Google leases it to someone else, or decides to enter the ISP
> business themselves.

I think Google's intention is to own *just* the fiber based local
loop.  They lay the cable, and you pay them $x for the fiber
connectivity.  That fiber then gets run to a series of head end
facilities.  Anyone who wants to provide services over the fiber will
purchase access to it from google and connect up at the head end.
You'll then pay $y to the ISP.  This *significantly* decreases the
barriers to entry for a new broadband ISP, as they only have to worry
about getting internet connectivity to the head ends, and pay google
for the "last mile" connectivity.

Under this sort of setup, the monopoly goes away.  Cox would be just
one of multiple providers available to you, and if you decide you
don't like them, it's easy to change.

In some ways, this is more similar to how telecom connections are
handled now.  If I want a T3 for internet connectivity, I might get
the internet connection from Sprint, but the local loop might be run
by Qwest.  It's also used sometimes for DSL and ISDN

> However, entering the ISP business might provoke some anti-trust
> conversations. Then again, Comcast (in buying the NBC Networks) owns
> the content and the connection. It isn't stopping them.

I wouldn't be surprised if Google doesn't actually offer the ISP
service, and just handles providing the connectivity.

> -- T. J. Brumfield

-- 
Christopher