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When Google Fiber abandons your city as a failed experiment (2019)

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Re: When Google Fiber abandons your city as a failed experiment (2019)

#21

Post by amf12 »

stephenr wrote: post #16
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What exactly do you think is the "risk" of going with Google in these situations as a consumer? I know people who have Google Fiber, and love it - super fast Internet at reasonable prices. If it got turned off, they would just go with someone else. What exactly do you think the downside is? As a municipality, sure, as the article explains. But as an end consumer, what's the problem?

Well for one thing, I value my time. Dealing with getting a new service provider because the last one just decided to stop doing business is pretty low on the list of things I'd like to do with my time. For another, Google has a ridiculous reputation for customer service. Even saying that is being generous, because most Google services just don't have customer service, at all. I keep hearing "just go with someone els…

> Google has a ridiculous reputation for customer service.

Have you tried Comcast customer service? It's shit. I've had better support with paid Google services (both Pixel and Workspace) than Comcast.

Google has bad customer service reputation only for its free products, which is not unexpected. If someone values good support, then a different paid service is an obvious alternative over a free Google service.

Re: When Google Fiber abandons your city as a failed experiment (2019)

#23

Post by CamperBob2 »

amf12 wrote: post #21
stephenr wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well for one thing, I value my time. Dealing with getting a new service provider because the last one just decided to stop doing business is pretty low on the list of things I'd like to do with my time. For another, Google has a ridiculous reputation for customer service. Even saying that is being generous, because most Google services just don't have customer service, at all. I keep hearing "just go with someone els…

> Google has a ridiculous reputation for customer service. Have you tried Comcast customer service? It's shit. I've had better support with paid Google services (both Pixel and Workspace) than Comcast. Google has bad customer service reputation only for its free products, which is not unexpected. If someone values good support, then a different paid service is an obvious alternative over a free Google service.

Pro tip: sign up for business service, not residential. You will get infinitely better support, from first-line on up.

Re: When Google Fiber abandons your city as a failed experiment (2019)

#24

Post by js2 »

bruce511 wrote: post #8
js2 wrote: post #3

Summary: Google tried to "nano"-trench Louisville, KY using 2" deep trenches (by comparison micro-trenching is typically 6" deep) then use epoxy to cover the trench. The epoxy didn't stand up to tires. Google tried to replace the epoxy with asphalt but that damaged the fiber. Google determined at that point that nano-trenching wouldn't work and didn't want to spend additional money to remedy the situation, so they ab…

I'm not in the US, but in my country the fibre-provider and the ISP are unrelated companies. There are multiple fibre companies (typically an area is served by one or another of them although my area has two) and of course a couple dozen ISPs that do the ISP part. This model works -really- well. ISPs compete on price, and service. Fibre folks do the physical stuff. Fibre companies are incentivised to get rolled out i…

The U.S. sorta did this in the copper days: the local/incumbent phone company owned the copper from the home to the CO (central office) and then phone service could be handled by either the ILEC or CLEC. And you could dial-in to whatever ISP you wanted. This was intended to provide some amount of competition.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competitive_local_exchange_car...

https://www.bandwidth.com/glossary/competitive-local-exchang...

But once you could get voice & data from either the telco or the cable company, this all went out the window.

Re: When Google Fiber abandons your city as a failed experiment (2019)

#25

Post by asylteltine »

stephenr wrote: post #4

Given their penchant for abandoning things on a whim, I never really understood why people would ever choose to use a service like this, from Google.

Google fiber is just another thing in the Google graveyard. I’ve switched away from almost every Google product with maps and gmail being the last holdouts. I mostly use Apple Maps but there’s nothing as convenient as gmail and workspaces. If Apple offered email again I would switch to it for sure.

Re: When Google Fiber abandons your city as a failed experiment (2019)

#26

Post by asylteltine »

grogenaut wrote: post #22
stephenr wrote: post #4

Given their penchant for abandoning things on a whim, I never really understood why people would ever choose to use a service like this, from Google.

They weren't as known for abandoning everything back in 2015

Yeah they were

Re: When Google Fiber abandons your city as a failed experiment (2019)

#27

Post by thrtythreeforty »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #20
stephenr wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well for one thing, I value my time. Dealing with getting a new service provider because the last one just decided to stop doing business is pretty low on the list of things I'd like to do with my time. For another, Google has a ridiculous reputation for customer service. Even saying that is being generous, because most Google services just don't have customer service, at all. I keep hearing "just go with someone els…

People go with Google Fiber because it's a better product: speeds are faster and prices are lower. Literally every single person I know who has Google Fiber is a huge fan. "For another, Google has a ridiculous reputation for customer service." Uhh, yeah, because Comcast and AT&T are famous for their stellar customer service. Give it a rest, man. I get annoyed as much as anyone with Google's "shiny object" penchants,…

On one hand, I agree with you - Google Fiber is good (although they just raised my price). On the other hand, you must admit "your customer service is better than Comcast's" isn't really glowing praise.

Re: When Google Fiber abandons your city as a failed experiment (2019)

#28

Post by hinkley »

grogenaut wrote: post #22
stephenr wrote: post #4

Given their penchant for abandoning things on a whim, I never really understood why people would ever choose to use a service like this, from Google.

They weren't as known for abandoning everything back in 2015

Well known for sure. Notorious is debatable.

Re: When Google Fiber abandons your city as a failed experiment (2019)

#29

Post by yeukhon »

bradknowles wrote: post #9
js2 wrote: post #3

Summary: Google tried to "nano"-trench Louisville, KY using 2" deep trenches (by comparison micro-trenching is typically 6" deep) then use epoxy to cover the trench. The epoxy didn't stand up to tires. Google tried to replace the epoxy with asphalt but that damaged the fiber. Google determined at that point that nano-trenching wouldn't work and didn't want to spend additional money to remedy the situation, so they ab…

I also got the t-shirt from Google, when they announced they were coming to Austin. I don't remember which year that was. Google did come to a couple of neighborhoods, but that's it. And while that spurred the AT&T fiber sales critters to come out of the woodwork, that didn't inspire much in the way of actual fiber investment from AT&T. The sales critters came to our neighborhood several times, but ultimately stopped…

Fwiw, TW was acquired by Spectrum several years ago. The acquisition did not help customers. I am in a lucky boat. Verizon took many years to break ground in many neighborhoods in NYC and neaby counties, after fought monopolies (which they are themselves ironically). But generally only Verizon is the reliable one here

Re: When Google Fiber abandons your city as a failed experiment (2019)

#30

Post by toast0 »

js2 wrote: post #24
bruce511 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not in the US, but in my country the fibre-provider and the ISP are unrelated companies. There are multiple fibre companies (typically an area is served by one or another of them although my area has two) and of course a couple dozen ISPs that do the ISP part. This model works -really- well. ISPs compete on price, and service. Fibre folks do the physical stuff. Fibre companies are incentivised to get rolled out i…

The U.S. sorta did this in the copper days: the local/incumbent phone company owned the copper from the home to the CO (central office) and then phone service could be handled by either the ILEC or CLEC. And you could dial-in to whatever ISP you wanted. This was intended to provide some amount of competition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competitive_local_exchange_car... https://www.bandwidth.com/glossary/competitiv…

> But once you could get voice & data from either the telco or the cable company, this all went out the window.

Line sharing in the US extended to DSL served from COs, but faster DSL came from remote terminals that were closer to users and didn't have space for CLEC equipment.

Under the US Telecominications Act of 1996, the FCC likely could have mandated more line sharing arrangements for cable and DSL from remote terminals, which isn't the same as fully separating wiring from service, but gets some things good enough so people have at least a chance at having an option for getting better routing or getting a static IP or ...

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