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Google Fiber’s Next Stop: Austin, Texas

googlefiberblog.blogspot.com

31–40 of 137 posts

Re: Google Fiber’s Next Stop: Austin, Texas

#31
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Austin is in a state, (Texas), with a lot of pending issues coming to roost... education, traffic, migration, water/drought, social safety net. As much as I love my native state, I don't see any leadership addressing these.

It's important to note that California is just as bad or worse in a lot of those areas. All the things you mentioned are pretty bad in California. Public education is terrible, traffic is outrageous, there is a huge immigration 'problem', and the forest fires are pretty bad. To each his own but Californian leadership isn't really that great. I just can't decide who is worse Perry or Brown.

Nyc also had a pretty bad immigration problem. Those pesky italians and their mafia. The Irish were no better. And on top of that Mexicans are no arriving in droves. When will it ever end? When?

Re: Google Fiber’s Next Stop: Austin, Texas

#32
post #23
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Fiber to whatever suburbs are invited to the party will likely follow after that. I'm interested to see where in the priority list some of the closer suburbs are. Round Rock, after all, is Dell headquarters. I'd have to imagine there is going to be some strong demand up there.

They said the roll-out was focusing on Austin City Limits, and more specifically they stated the desire to release Fiber in public buildings (offices, hospitals, schools, etc.). This paired with the UT Austin teacher video they released leads me to believe it'll be available to the campus area, probably downtown as well (St. Davids main and Brackenridge Medical Center) and probably the surrounding neighborhoods. Pers…

I hope the fiber roll-out will also include the 78758/78759 Austin areas, not just because I live in the area, but also cause Google's Austin office is located there too :).

Re: Google Fiber’s Next Stop: Austin, Texas

#33

I realize this is very much a "first-world problem," but I find it infinitely frustrating that Google Fiber will probably never be available where I live (Long Beach, CA). Apparently this is because the various environmental regulations in California make it prohibitively expensive to deploy it here. On the one hand I like the environment. On the other, I'm on DSL. :(

It could be that laws in general need to be more flexible, and to keep in mind the end goal more than the boundaries of strict limits in the language of the rules. That way, you don't have this one-or-the-other decision.

Re: Google Fiber’s Next Stop: Austin, Texas

#34
Google here is doing what they do best which is sticking to their core business of advertising/search while spending a bit here and there to disrupt businesses that they see as threatening to their core business. It is to Google's advantage to have fast pipes to their users.

Right now they are getting their intended result from people in the USA. If Kansas City can have gigabit internet for a low price why can't I? The consumers then will pressure their provider to do the same. However it is not as easy for every other telco.

1. They need to be profitable. 2. They cannot cherry pick areas with high density yet low costs of rollout/living like KC and Austin.

So I do not think Google will ever do this nationwide as it is a bad business to be in with enormous red tape, capital expenditures and geographic distribution. It is a smart move on their behalf to do this but people should not get their hopes up for a nationwide distribution, it will never happen.

Re: Google Fiber’s Next Stop: Austin, Texas

#35
post #23
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Fiber to whatever suburbs are invited to the party will likely follow after that. I'm interested to see where in the priority list some of the closer suburbs are. Round Rock, after all, is Dell headquarters. I'd have to imagine there is going to be some strong demand up there.

They said the roll-out was focusing on Austin City Limits, and more specifically they stated the desire to release Fiber in public buildings (offices, hospitals, schools, etc.). This paired with the UT Austin teacher video they released leads me to believe it'll be available to the campus area, probably downtown as well (St. Davids main and Brackenridge Medical Center) and probably the surrounding neighborhoods. Pers…

I would say with out a doubt it'll go east of I-35. East Austin is an up and coming neighborhood. The Hipster demand there will be fierce plus it has a ton of lower income households still which will look good for the free internet (with installation fee) version of google fiber.

Additionally during SXSW a lot of the tech people stay over there. I think one of the reasons Austin was picked was to show off the speed during events like SXSW and Austin City Limits.

The only question is how far east it'll go.

Re: Google Fiber’s Next Stop: Austin, Texas

#36
post #3

I really want to see the ROI google is planning on having for theses projects. If my calculations[1] are correct they only need something like 200,000 customers to sign up to get a ROI of one year on both roll outs. ~ 100M for both rollouts @ $70 per customer per month

[deleted]

Re: Google Fiber’s Next Stop: Austin, Texas

#37
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wireless data is getting faster and faster in terms of providing what would previously be considered massive bandwidth but generally the latency still sucks for things like fast-paced online gaming. I still want fiber.

Over in SF, I have Webpass, which uses wireless data to deliver Internet to the building. I consistently get around 100/100 with So yea, wireless data has gotten really really good. Mind you, that's not LTE. It's microwave wireless... so a different type of wireless tech.

Is that using microwaves? I've heard of buildings getting pretty great speed using that technology.

Re: Google Fiber’s Next Stop: Austin, Texas

#38

Google here is doing what they do best which is sticking to their core business of advertising/search while spending a bit here and there to disrupt businesses that they see as threatening to their core business. It is to Google's advantage to have fast pipes to their users. Right now they are getting their intended result from people in the USA. If Kansas City can have gigabit internet for a low price why can't I? T…

"In business, I look for economic castles protected by unbreachable moats" - Warren Buffett

I completely agree that its in Google's interest to have faster pipes. But I think Google Fiber may just be another moat for Google, another way for them to hinder their perceived threats.

This was an excellent write up on Google's strategy to build business moats (from 2011): http://abovethecrowd.com/2011/03/24/freight-train-that-is-an...

Re: Google Fiber’s Next Stop: Austin, Texas

#39
post #3

I really want to see the ROI google is planning on having for theses projects. If my calculations[1] are correct they only need something like 200,000 customers to sign up to get a ROI of one year on both roll outs. ~ 100M for both rollouts @ $70 per customer per month

I still think this whole thing is to shame other internet providers who says this kind of service is impossible and there is no demand for it.

There is no way Google will be able to roll this out across the country. But if they roll it out to 10 or 20 cities then they might be able to force other internet providers into doing something.

Re: Google Fiber’s Next Stop: Austin, Texas

#40
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's important to note that California is just as bad or worse in a lot of those areas. All the things you mentioned are pretty bad in California. Public education is terrible, traffic is outrageous, there is a huge immigration 'problem', and the forest fires are pretty bad. To each his own but Californian leadership isn't really that great. I just can't decide who is worse Perry or Brown.

Nyc also had a pretty bad immigration problem. Those pesky italians and their mafia. The Irish were no better. And on top of that Mexicans are no arriving in droves. When will it ever end? When?

Most of the current migration into Texas is from California and NY. How can I tell?

They are constantly bitching that Texas isn't California or NY.

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