Google Fiber To Launch Next Week

[happyprince]

[color=#000000][font=Georgia,][size=4]
[size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Google just sent out invitations to a “special event” in Kansas City on July 26 which is undoubtedly the launch of its much-anticipated fiber-to-the-home network. The search giant sent an invite Tuesday that reads, “We would like to invite you to a special announcement about Google Fiber and the next chapter of the Internet.”[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Georgia,][size=4]
[size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]The timing jibes with the Google’s statements about a planned summer launch and sources who told me the network would launch at the end of next week. Google announced plans to build the [url="http://gigaom.com/2010/02/10/google-fiber/"]gigabit network back in February of 2010[/url] and thousands of municipalities competed to be the future home of the planned network. In March, it[url="http://gigaom.com/broadband/kansas-city-kansas-gets-google-fiber/"]selected Kanas City[/url] as the first location for Google Fiber.[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Georgia,][size=4]
[size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Google said it wanted to build out the network so it could see what people might do with a full gigabit connection, but I also think this is [url="http://gigaom.com/2010/02/10/google-fiber/"]Google’s answer to the ISP’s continued whining[/url] about how much networks cost to operate and how providers like Google or Netflix should pay them for delivering traffic across the ISP’s networks.[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Georgia,][size=4]
[size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Soon, Google will have real data on what it costs to build and operate a wireline network — and in typical Google fashion I expect we’ll hear about how it has driven those costs down by building or adapting gear in a way traditional ISPs haven’t. Hopefully at the event we’ll also learn more on what Google plans to charge for access to the network as well as if it [url="http://gigaom.com/broadband/has-google-changed-its-mind-about-sharing-its-fiber-network/"]plans to share it with other ISPs[/url].[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Georgia,][size=4]
[size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]And clearly ISPs are worried. Just last week, [url="http://gigaom.com/2012/07/11/whos-afraid-of-google-fiber-time-warner-for-starters/"]we reported that Time Warner Cable[/url] — a Kansas City ISP — had placed posters around its headquarters asking employees to provide any information they hear about Google fiber. I wonder if anyone there got an invite to the Google event.[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color]