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Google Fiber’s Next Stop: Austin, Texas

googlefiberblog.blogspot.com

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

#121

Post by jsz0 »

msoad wrote: post #12
enraged_camel wrote: post #6

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. :(

I think we won't see Fiber in California. They will use wireless technology to transfer data from final optical fiber node to homes. That way it won't need a lot of digging. Wireless data is getting faster and faster, so it should be possible to transfer gigabit per second data over wireless transmitters. Right now my iPhone's LTE is faster than my home Comcast cable connection. I hope wireless gets cheaper and faste…

There's also DOCSIS 3.1 on the horizon for cable providers. It will allow for a quick and dramatic increase in download speeds over existing cable HFC infrastructure. All the big market cable ISPs will be offering 1Gbit/sec download speeds in the next 2-3 years at least in some competitive markets. Within 3-5 years it will be pretty widespread. Within 5-7 years it will be fairly universal to have multi-gigabit/sec broadband just about everywhere in the country that is serviced by cable ISPs.

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

#122

Post by dragonwriter »

OGinparadise wrote: post #118
brd wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"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-…

But I think Google Fiber may just be another moat for Google, another way for them to hinder their perceived threats. When FB was asked about a phone they said that any phone user they'd get it wouldn't move the scale given their 1 billion+ users. Same with Google, it's extremely expensive to wire a significant number of their users, so they are doing this hoping AT&T, Comcast etc upgrade their connection and match t…

> Same with Google, it's extremely expensive to wire a significant number of their users

Recent published estimates have been that it would about $11 billion to roll out nationwide in the US. That is a lot of money, sure, but less than they paid for Motorola Mobility recently. Not prohibitively expensive for Google.

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

#123

Post by christopherscot »

BryanB55 wrote: post #20

I'm in Austin and can't wait. Unfortunately I think I'm going to have to continue to pay TimeWarner for another 1-2 years at least. I'm interested to see where the first 'fiberhood' is going to be in Austin. South Austin, 78704 would be awesome. Any Austin people on here have any guesses?

born & raised in Austin, just might have to move back (from Silicon Valley) :)

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

#125

Post by natrius »

intopieces wrote: post #107
natrius wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you choose where you live and work carefully, living without a car in Austin isn't so bad. In particular, car2go is a godsend. That plus my bike and the bus get me around.

I would agree with you if it weren't for the heat. And don't give me anything of that "It's a dry heat" bullshit; >90 days in a row over 100 degrees is enough to make the city turn into Do The Right Thing.

My office for the past few summers has had a shower, so I biked most of the time. Riding the bus isn't bad either as long as you can wait in the shade.

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

#126

Post by OGinparadise »

dragonwriter wrote: post #122
OGinparadise wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But I think Google Fiber may just be another moat for Google, another way for them to hinder their perceived threats. When FB was asked about a phone they said that any phone user they'd get it wouldn't move the scale given their 1 billion+ users. Same with Google, it's extremely expensive to wire a significant number of their users, so they are doing this hoping AT&T, Comcast etc upgrade their connection and match t…

> Same with Google, it's extremely expensive to wire a significant number of their users Recent published estimates have been that it would about $11 billion to roll out nationwide in the US. That is a lot of money, sure, but less than they paid for Motorola Mobility recently. Not prohibitively expensive for Google.

Recent published estimates have been that it would about $11 billion to roll out nationwide in the US.

Maybe $110 billion, $11 Billion doesn't go far in US

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

#128

Post by caw »

gonzo wrote: post #105
caw wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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)

Or that AT&T already has a TON of fiber in the ground in Austin, from back in the 90s.

Even if they have dark or underutilized fiber it doesn't mean that it's a 0 expenditure. So you don't have to rip up the street, but optics are pretty expensive. That's not even counting a need for new switches if it's not 1 Gbps capable.

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

#129

Post by caw »

tomrod wrote: post #113
bratsche wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in Dallas and I like the lower cost of living and everything. But now I wish I lived in Austin. :) The thing I hate about both Dallas and Austin is driving. I used to live northeast and could walk everywhere much easier. Austin seems to be pretty bike-friendly though, and Dallas is becoming more so.

Lived in both Austin and North Dallas. Compared to Austin traffic, Dallas is a parking lot. Austin has random spouts of traffic and a plethora of backroads. Dallas, the side highways are the backroads. Beltline Road would be backed up from 6 AM to 2 AM daily. Awful, awful traffic. We tried to go from Dallas to Plano one time on a weekday at 4:30. Took 3 hours for a 15-20 mile trip. Nuts to that.

There's a couple of choke points where you can't take backroads in Austin without going all out of your way. In particular, anything crossing Lady Bird Lake.

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

#130

Post by [deleted] »

jambonetoeufs wrote: post #116
tomrod wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Austinite here. East of I35 is commonly known as the "wrong side of the tracks". If Austin is wiring up for business and residential focus, they'll do west, some limited up north, downtown, and down Congress Avenue & First Avenue. They might extend to the west of MoPac (Loop 1, follows the old Missouri-Pacific line) but I'm not sure that the neighborhoods there are officially part of Austin or incorporated as a small…

East of I35 hasn't really been known as the "wrong side of the tracks" for several years now. It's changed tremendously since what it was like in the late 1990s/early 2000s.

[deleted]
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