This is just sick, and not in a bad way:
Google is planning to launch an experiment that we hope will make Internet access better and faster for everyone. We plan to test ultra-high speed broadband networks in one or more trial locations across the country. Our networks will deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today, over 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. We’ll offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.
Imagine having internet in your home that’s 100 times faster than what you currently have….how amazing would that be?
They also released this interesting little tool:
http://www.youtube.com/my_speed
It tests your internet speed against others in your area and what your network is actually doing.
Hi Liberal,
Very neat. Thanks for sharing. 5.5 mbps with Charter. Paul
At competitive prices is the key here. 1 gig speed will be beyond most people’s budget at competitive prices. It will be an interesting trial and I applaud them for giving it a go but at this point it will won’t be economically feasible for the average household.
Obviously I can’t say for certain, but perhaps they meant at competitive prices to other broadband providers. Obviously Google wouldn’t spend the money to implement a project if they were going to price most consumers out of the market.
Although it does sound really awesome, I’m somewhat weirded out by the fact Google does e-mail, storage, search, video and is now entering into OSs and hardware… Yes, the company’s motto is “don’t be evil,” but when increased activity online becomes synonymous with increased data-gathering, direct marketing and profits for Google, I get a little nervous.
Then again, I’m not sure I care at this point. I’m waiting for Google to develop suspended, 3D websites that you navigate with Northface gloves.
It will be priced on the bandwidth the customer requests. Google will have to also pay the same access fees the other carriers would have to pay. It sounds like they are just offering the pipe to be available to those customers which will give them the advantage over the current providers in the area but it will incur the enormous expense of getting the facilities to the customer. Fiber isn’t cheap and neither is the equipment used on the end of that fiber. 1 gig of internet service would be about the equivalent of 2 OC12’s (there isn’t an OC24). The cost of an OC3 would run around 20K or more dollars per month without equipment costs so you could imagine the price of 2 OC12’s. Another option is GigE which is also expensive.