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Why Google makes the perfect ISP

extremetech.com

21–30 of 59 posts

Re: Why Google makes the perfect ISP

#21
If I were a potential customer, my biggest fear would be customer service. There is a track record of no-human-contact service disabling; especially with "free" products.

If Google shuts down an ad-sense account for perceived violation without good justification or interaction, how can I expect them not to do the same with my internet for an unjust DMCA complaint?

Re: Why Google makes the perfect ISP

#22

Sorry for the weak pun, but I really couldn't help myself: I wish the title had been "Why Google is an acceptable ISP". Apropos of the article, I'm increasingly unconvinced that free markets work well enough when they're dealing with infrastructure--roads, train lines, phone lines--that have an expensive one-off set-up cost and then a larger cost of switching while the original provider attempts to recoup the set-up…

I'd probably argue that most private industry infrastructure efforts are decidedly not free markets. Given the politics involved in building out large utilities, governments tend to get heavily involved. Around the country this has resulted in some strange relationships between company and government, most involving some manner of limited monopoly in exchange for certain guarantees regarding types of service. Those agreements tend to be short-sighted and rarely updated, leaving us with aging infrastructure and legal impedements to competition.

Re: Why Google makes the perfect ISP

#23

There's always been a touch of Willy Wonka style unreality about Google Fiber. Municipalities across the U.S. know that their broadband sucks, and they wrote proposals to Google in lieu of real action, hoping Google could solve their problems with their magic wand. Google still has a "non-evil" and academic reputation in some quarters, although anybody who makes a living on the streets of the internet knows that Goog…

> anybody who makes a living on the streets of the internet knows that Google is the most dangerous and rapacious company on the net. I make a living on the streets of the internet, and could not disagree more with your conclusion. You don't speak for everyone, because you certainly don't speak for me.

You are clearly in a minority though. I bet that at least 80% of internet marketers hate Google.

Re: Why Google makes the perfect ISP

#24

Sorry for the weak pun, but I really couldn't help myself: I wish the title had been "Why Google is an acceptable ISP". Apropos of the article, I'm increasingly unconvinced that free markets work well enough when they're dealing with infrastructure--roads, train lines, phone lines--that have an expensive one-off set-up cost and then a larger cost of switching while the original provider attempts to recoup the set-up…

The first-mover advantage has resulted in telecoms capturing their markets in major cities. The question is just how free are these markets?

In my city, for example, the city has a contract with a cable operator that basically states that any competitor wishing to enter the city must provide services in all the areas the first-mover provides service. The argument is that this "levels the playing field" among competition while also forcing telecoms to cover areas of the city they may not otherwise lay fiber lines. But in practice it adds a huge barrier to entry for any subsequent companies.

Ultimately I think it comes down to governments making decisions in the best interests of their constituents and not creating these kinds of deals. Let customer demand dictate how much service will be provided in the various segments of the municipality.

Re: Why Google makes the perfect ISP

#25
Once this gets rolled out to more cities, this will certainly be looked back as a disruptive product in the home internet market. Google is well-placed to destroy the traditional ISPs.

Google Fiber: come to Canada please!

Re: Why Google makes the perfect ISP

#27
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> anybody who makes a living on the streets of the internet knows that Google is the most dangerous and rapacious company on the net. I make a living on the streets of the internet, and could not disagree more with your conclusion. You don't speak for everyone, because you certainly don't speak for me.

You are clearly in a minority though. I bet that at least 80% of internet marketers hate Google.

Have you used adwords? I have. And it is pretty transparent about almost everything that should be available to the advertiser. They certanly have the website base and actively moniter ads for inapprpiate content, increasing overall prosperity of the network. Although it could get them more money, they play for long term and keep the standard high. They need to make money like every other company.

Re: Why Google makes the perfect ISP

#28

Let's take a poll: How many people here understand that Google is doing this because Internet connections are a complement of your personal data, which they would like to monetize, and not out of the goodness of their hearts?

Requisite HN contrarianism: IPs make money. What if Google wants a slice of that? What if Google wants to grow the pie of Internet usage? What if Google Search and related products make money from targeted advertising, but the company is thinking other ways to make money as well?

Re: Why Google makes the perfect ISP

#29
I really hope they succeed or at least stay in the game long enough to make a difference. Remember the Verizon "open" ads a while ago when ATT was kicking their butt with the iPhone? Android came along and they quickly shoved the open thing under the rug. Nothing changed in the wireless world except for the visual voice mail aspect. The current players in the wired internet market do not have competition. All they are interested in is making commercials and getting more customers. Google would be a swift kick in the butt for comcast and others. They will be forced to improve.

Re: Why Google makes the perfect ISP

#30

Let's take a poll: How many people here understand that Google is doing this because Internet connections are a complement of your personal data, which they would like to monetize, and not out of the goodness of their hearts?

Let's take a poll: How many people here understand that Google is a corporation and therefore has making money as its primary goal?

Seriously, what would be wrong from a corporate standpoint would be for Google to be doing this out of the goodness of their heart, not the opposite. You don't like it, don't use it. I bet you'll have a real easy time finding someone to pull fiber to your house and provide you with gigabyte internet without trying to monetize it.

Welcome to capitalism, I'm personally quite happy with it.

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