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Can someone explain what it takes for Google Fiber to come to a city ? Do they buy an existing fiber company in the city ? Do they buy dark fiber ? Do they lay

by new2 11y ago

Can someone explain what it takes for Google Fiber to come to a city ? Do they buy an existing fiber company in the city ? Do they buy dark fiber ? Do they lay new fiber ? I'm trying to understand how the process works. Side note : Is anyone laying new fiber anymore ? I was reading this ( http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/01/verizon-nears-the-end-of-fios-builds/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/01/verizon-nears-the-en... )

nostrademons 11y ago
They use existing Google fiber links for the backbone, but they need to lay new fiber for the last mile. Getting the right-of-ways to do this accounts for virtually all of the delay in expanding to a new city; oftentimes the utility poles are owned by competitors, and trying to lay anything underground or put up new poles requires a maze of permitting from city & county governments and utility commissions.
freehunter 11y ago
The answer is all of those things. Google has bought existing fiber (such as in Utah)[1] and laid new fiber such as in Kansas City [2]. [1] http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/google-closes-deal-acquire-iprovo/2013-07-23 http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/google-closes-deal-acquir... [2] http://www.technologybloggers.org/technology/google-fiber-start-laying-optical-fibre-cable/ http://www.technologybloggers.org/technology/google-fiber-st...
platinum1 11y ago
The actual new/old fiber itself isn't really what makes it possible to get Google Fiber, it's more about having a regulatory framework that allows Fiber to be cost effective. From: http://www.broadbandforamerica.com/blog/regulatory-concessions-paved-way-google-fiber http://www.broadbandforamerica.com/blog/regulatory-concessio... "Municipalities across the U.S., nearly 1,100 of them, competed vigorously to be chosen as the site for the project, but too few had a regulatory environment conducive to the investment that was required." I believe Salt Lake City sold their unused fiber infrastructure to Google for $1, which I'm sure helped (in return Google ).

by new2 11y ago

nostrademons 11y ago

They use existing Google fiber links for the backbone, but they need to lay new fiber for the last mile. Getting the right-of-ways to do this accounts for virtually all of the delay in expanding to a new city; oftentimes the utility poles are owned by competitors, and trying to lay anything underground or put up new poles requires a maze of permitting from city & county governments and utility commissions.

freehunter 11y ago

The answer is all of those things. Google has bought existing fiber (such as in Utah)[1] and laid new fiber such as in Kansas City [2]. [1] http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/google-closes-deal-acquire-iprovo/2013-07-23 http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/google-closes-deal-acquir... [2] http://www.technologybloggers.org/technology/google-fiber-start-laying-optical-fibre-cable/ http://www.technologybloggers.org/technology/google-fiber-st...

platinum1 11y ago

The actual new/old fiber itself isn't really what makes it possible to get Google Fiber, it's more about having a regulatory framework that allows Fiber to be cost effective. From: http://www.broadbandforamerica.com/blog/regulatory-concessions-paved-way-google-fiber http://www.broadbandforamerica.com/blog/regulatory-concessio... "Municipalities across the U.S., nearly 1,100 of them, competed vigorously to be chosen as the site for the project, but too few had a regulatory environment conducive to the investment that was required." I believe Salt Lake City sold their unused fiber infrastructure to Google for $1, which I'm sure helped (in return Google ).