Think big with a gig: Our experimental fiber network

Post by sp332 » Wed, Feb 10, 2010, 9:33 PM UTC

Groxx wrote: post #19

swombat wrote: post #3

Time for the other so-called broadband providers to shake in their boots. I like companies that have no respect for established business models. In this perspective, despite its size, I think it's fair to call Google a start-up.

I forget where the link was (I think somewhere on yc), but it showed a chart of internet access speed through a few years, rated by countries. Most of the large-nation world had grown by 10%+, many over 50%, in a few years, while the US had dropped by a couple percent. This is in addition to most of those countries being higher already, so it's not merely a 5kbps -> 8kbps jump. My price for internet access not going…

Post by chadgeidel » Wed, Feb 10, 2010, 9:45 PM UTC

JunkDNA wrote: post #65

I'm not sure this will have the effect on competition some around here think it will. The only way this will cause traditional providers to lower their rates and increase their capacity is if they actually feel threatened by Google's offering. 50,000 - 500,000 people is just not going to be enough to impact any of the big player's bottom lines. Comcast has 15 million Internet customers. Are they really going to mis 5…

Post by _cbsz » Wed, Feb 10, 2010, 9:54 PM UTC

wmf wrote: post #95

mrkurt wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The variable cost of selling broadband is extremely low.

The problem isn't the variable cost; it's the $2,000 truck roll per customer.

Post by _cbsz » Wed, Feb 10, 2010, 9:57 PM UTC

nollidge wrote: post #87

tjogin wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, Norway and Sweden has a lower population density than the US has; we've got even more land mass per person. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependenc... I think it has more to do with that we don't leave infrastructure development squarely in the hands of the market.

> Actually, Norway and Sweden has a lower population density I realize that. The multipliers I gave necessarily imply exactly that: 15x pop. and 10x area => U.S. has 1.5x the population density.

Post by s3graham » Wed, Feb 10, 2010, 10:00 PM UTC

imgabe wrote: post #23

Or downloading a high-definition, full-length feature film in less than five minutes. Did you hear that? It sounded as if millions of hollywood executives suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced...