Google to jump into ISP game. Give select communites access to 1Gbps time traveling pipe?
One of the businesses that people constantly complain about are ISP’s. The “gatekeepers of the internet” if you will, have the ultimate say in what does and doesn’t get funneled down the various wires and into your home. Normally people wouldn’t really care because ISP’s are supposed to be gatekeepers. Lately however, they’ve taken a pretty disturbing stance on “bandwidth intensive” users (regardless of legality) as well as come under heavy fire form the RIAA and other media label companies of the like. I guess it wouldn’t be so bad if the ISP’s didn’t actually cave to companies such as the RIAA and stab every customer in the back, but that’s an entirely different point for today, who again comes to liberate the people — Google.
Right now, some of the fastest internet consumers can get around the country comes in right around 50Mbps. Not bad by any means. But our neighbors across the pond in countries such as Japan and South Korea are topping 80-100Mbps, and have been for well over a year. Again, why the US is lagging is another point all together. A new announcement from Google however is shinning light on the US’s pathetic broadband network with tales that they themselves are in the process of building out a 1Gbps test network that will be deployed to “select cities” across the country. These test networks will initially touch 50,000 users with expansions planned to ramp up the number of users to 500,000 when all is said and done.!
I can talk until I’m blue in the face and still not sound very convincing. So, we’ll let Google do the heavy lifting.
We’re planning to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the United States. We’ll deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today with 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. We plan to offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.
Our goal is to experiment with new ways to help make Internet access better and faster for everyone. Here are some specific things that we have in mind:
Next generation apps: 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.
New deployment techniques: We’ll test new ways to build fiber networks, and to help inform and support deployments elsewhere, we’ll share key lessons learned with the world.
Openness and choice: We’ll operate an “open access” network, giving users the choice of multiple service providers. And consistent with our past advocacy, we’ll manage our network in an open, non-discriminatory and transparent way.
The best part: “openness”. Since Google has long been against net nannies of any type, software or hardware, running their own ISP will be a dream. Can you say “HELLZ YEAH”! The “competitive pricing” is music to my ears. Hell, even if I can’t afford it, Google’s actions alone will force ISP’s to get off their asses and upgrade their networks to keep up. If they don’t, Google will be more than happy to pick up the slack as will many customers be more than happy to cancel their sub-par service.
As often as Google gets criticized, their intentions outside of collecting more raw data are wholly clean. Google is bringing a service to market that consumers have been asking for — faster, cheaper internet. If only there were more Google’s in the business world…
Stoked, sad, frustrated, scared? All I’m still thinking about is a 1Gbps fiber straight into my humble abode. Sounds might nice doesn’t it?
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Author: Mike Norris
visit my websiteGadget lover, smartphone collector, and beer connoisseur. I've been writing about gadgets for three years now and loving every minute of it. Outside of the digital landscape, I enjoy being active outdoors. I'm always up for a good conversation, so feel free to drop me a line!
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