4 ms·
Free internet. That's rather creepy from Google. When they roll this big it would hurt other providers, which in itself isn't bad, but having only Google as a c
by rplnt 14y ago
Free internet. That's rather creepy from Google. When they roll this big it would hurt other providers, which in itself isn't bad, but having only Google as a choice is. Can they even do that by the way (anti-monopoly regulations)?
- ConstantineXVI 14y agoThey'll have a hell of a time getting in other cities in the first place. AT&T and the major cablecos typically have an absolute, legally-sanctioned stranglehold on their markets.
- clavalle 14y agoBut up until now there have been no clear alternatives when citizens try to fight those sanctioned monopolies. If Google is offering 100x the speed in another city, Time Warner, Comcast, AT&T etc. will have a hard time explaining why they should retain their monopoly unless they offered something competitive.
- ConstantineXVI 14y agoExclusive franchises, building permits, neighborhood associations, etc. Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and AT&T have been playing this game for a long time. It'll take fighting through tons of telco/cableco-paid for local laws for Google to get in anywhere; just because they've made it in one city won't make the next any easier (in fact, probably harder). I hope Google (or someone else) pulls it off, but it's not going to be easy by any means.
- nemo1618 14y agoNot sure if this is at all relevant, but a judge ruled in 2005 that distributing GPL software for free is not anti-competitive: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_v._International_Business_Machines_Corp._et_al.#FSF_lawsuit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_v._International_Busine...
- ghshephard 14y ago"Can they even do that by the way (anti-monopoly regulations)?" Yes - Google does not (A) Have a monopoly in providing Internet to the home and (B) they are not attempting to leverage their monopoly in search (which they _are_ pretty close to having) in order to achieve dominance in another market. I think they are clear from an anti-trust position.
- randall 14y agohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumping_(pricing_policy)#Actions_in_the_United_States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumping_(pricing_policy)#Action... Maybe?
- Avenger42 14y agoThat only seems to apply to dumping as an action by international firms, intended to damage domestic companies, and the rights domestic companies have to address it. It's not strictly applicable between two local firms competing for customers.
- rplnt 14y agoI see, I don't think there's a difference between domestic/foreign firm when it comes to dumping in EU. I think that you can't operate with loss in order to crush competition. But Google might have it covered with other sources of revenue coming from "free" users.
- randall 14y agoThe big difference is say a Japanese Steel maker dumps a bunch of foreign steel on the US market, then suddenly disappears... there's a structural crisis because the US steel industry has to rebuild from scratch. Or that's the argument anyway.
- deleted 14y ago[deleted]
- rush340 14y agoI'd rather have Google as the only choice than Comcast/CenturyLink.