Live data from Hacker News

Google Fiber’s Next Stop: Austin, Texas

googlefiberblog.blogspot.com

81–90 of 137 posts

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

#81

This is kind of funny... AT&T suddenly decided to offer a 1gb network: http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=24032&cdvn=news&#3...

"This expanded investment is not expected to materially alter AT&T’s anticipated 2013 capital expenditures."

This is what pisses me off. Telcos have the capability and it won't even hit them that hard, financially. They just want to drag their feet to eek out whatever extra sliver of profit they can out of the current status quo.

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

#82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is how it goes with most service roll outs. If the people in the suburbs are really miffed that they aren't one of the first areas picked for Google Fiber, perhaps they should consider the downsides of living in the sprawl. Congrats to any Austin HNers on your freedom from [insert Austin cable monopoly here]

>perhaps they should consider the downsides of living in the sprawl. I'm sympathetic to this point of view, but in many places it's not possible for everyone to live in the city center because of development restrictions that drive up prices (see here: http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2012/05/face... one discussion that I've posted before, albeit about California).

Close to downtown is expensive because all the shit people are willing to pay a premium for. Distance to work, nightlife, parks, scarcity of family oriented suburbanites, and being where things like Google Fiber are first to roll out.

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

#83
post #60
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've heard a lot of things from AT&T customers, and "satisfied" is never one of them. This is too little too late, and I'm pretty sure that most of their current customers can't wait to jump ship -- regardless of whatever carrots that they bring out at the last minute.

Uverse has been solid for me. I've had them for 4 years now and they've had very limited downtime (a lot less then I had with TimeWarner). I'll happily move to Google Fiber, but Uverse has treated me just fine. While I wish their upload speeds were faster, but I haven't really had any options that were faster. What issues have you had with them exactly?

I had Uverse in my apartment (in 78723). It was solid for the first year and then went to absolute sh*t. Perhaps something about how it's set up for apartment (shared connection at some point)? I've since switched to Time Warner and I'm happy.

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

#84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The great thing about working for an Internet company (I'm assuming you do since you've been on Hacker News for a while) is that you can really live anywhere. I moved my most recent startup to Austin after living in the Valley for 10 years and SoCal for 2. I'm already ridiculously happy with the move. And it seems like much of California is following me here--we are even getting an In-N-Out Burger this year! Austin i…

>And it seems like much of California is following me here--we are even getting an In-N-Out Burger this year! California has been driving people away for decades: http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/cr_71.htm#.UWRs1Bkhf... . My own family moved out of CA when I was 10 for the usual reasons: high housing costs and long commutes. Housing costs have stayed high and so have commutes; consequently, a lot of people are…

"Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded"

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

#85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

California, once one of the friendliest states to do business in, has turned into a nightmare. The entrepreneurs I know are already looking for exits to Austin.

The people might by friendly, but aren't the taxes quite high? Last I read, the state+federal together added up to almost 50%.

Texas has no income tax. Federal tax applies equally to living in any state and seems ridiculous to mention.

Property tax is high, 2%-3%. Sales tax is high, 8.25%

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

#86
post #60
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've heard a lot of things from AT&T customers, and "satisfied" is never one of them. This is too little too late, and I'm pretty sure that most of their current customers can't wait to jump ship -- regardless of whatever carrots that they bring out at the last minute.

Uverse has been solid for me. I've had them for 4 years now and they've had very limited downtime (a lot less then I had with TimeWarner). I'll happily move to Google Fiber, but Uverse has treated me just fine. While I wish their upload speeds were faster, but I haven't really had any options that were faster. What issues have you had with them exactly?

[deleted]

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

#87
post #71
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Uverse has been solid for me. I've had them for 4 years now and they've had very limited downtime (a lot less then I had with TimeWarner). I'll happily move to Google Fiber, but Uverse has treated me just fine. While I wish their upload speeds were faster, but I haven't really had any options that were faster. What issues have you had with them exactly?

Maybe you're referring to Internet access only, but the over-compressed picture quality on Uverse is horrible, especially compared to easily-obtained OTA in the Austin area.

Hm. I don't live in Austin, but Uverse here in Oklahoma City has fine quality (about equivalent to OTA). (It's night and day with the other TV provider here, Cox, whose picture quality is terrible at best.) Also concur with GP that their internet service is pretty decent (although a bit overpriced for my liking).

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

#88

This is kind of funny... AT&T suddenly decided to offer a 1gb network: http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=24032&cdvn=news&#3...

"This expanded investment is not expected to materially alter AT&T’s anticipated 2013 capital expenditures." This is what pisses me off. Telcos have the capability and it won't even hit them that hard, financially. They just want to drag their feet to eek out whatever extra sliver of profit they can out of the current status quo.

In big-co speak that could mean either it's close to free, or they're rearranging their capex to prioritize Austin in order to compete (e.g. someone else isn't getting upgrades)

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

#89
post #50

Now AT&T is announcing that they are building a 1Gbps fiber service in Austin as well. http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/09/att-1gbps-fiber-internet-...

I've heard a lot of things from AT&T customers, and "satisfied" is never one of them. This is too little too late, and I'm pretty sure that most of their current customers can't wait to jump ship -- regardless of whatever carrots that they bring out at the last minute.

My Uverse internet only service has been great. They messed up my bill 3 months (not so great), but it only took 5 minutes on the phone to fix. When I called to get my iPhone activation fee waived, they told me it hadn't hit yet, so they'd call me back on my billing date. They did (surprised!) they said they automatically credited the activation fee (super surprised!).

Not sure I've been this excited about utility/telco service in a while.

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

#90

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. :(

California, once one of the friendliest states to do business in, has turned into a nightmare. The entrepreneurs I know are already looking for exits to Austin.

Yep, I just heard that HP, Yahoo, Google, Apple, FB and all of Hollywood are leaving California. Film at eleven.
Post reply on HN