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I'm curious how much physical infrastructure Google Fiber is leaving under streets. In Louisville were they using someone else's fiber or will there be actual
by VectorLock 8y ago
I'm curious how much physical infrastructure Google Fiber is leaving under streets. In Louisville were they using someone else's fiber or will there be actual dark strands under Louisville now?
- bri3d 8y agoThey're not leaving much fiber under the streets in Louisville, which is the whole reason they're pulling out - they attempted a low cost "microtrenching" strategy where they cut a small groove in the street pavement itself and tried to run the fiber through that. It was pretty much an abject failure and I doubt anyone will want the infrastructure as it's unlikely to function in even a few months. They're still "microtrenching" in other markets but at a much greater depth (6in rather than <3in) and with a different cover strategy (asphalt replacement over sealant rather than sealant only)
- VectorLock 8y agoThis microtrenching would be amazing if it could make its hands into people wanting to make open municipal networks, if it could actually work.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- tracker1 8y agoApparently from other comments, most of the fiber was really shallow, like a couple inches deep, and poorly insulated so shifts from cold/thaw created a lot of damage and is likely unrecoverable short of re-laying a deeper infrastructure for the entire area. They were experimenting with real customers, as google often does. Only this time it was what many would consider essential infrastructure.