Stupid Question 174-175: Is Google Fiber real? And what is it, and what are the services?

[To celebrate my first year of programming I will ask a ‘stupid’ questions daily on my blog for a year, to make sure I learn at least 365 new things during my second year as a developer]

Is Google Fiber real? And what is it, and what are the services?

Fiber or fibre, the Swede in me is struggling. Anyway, I might be very slow here- but I only recently learned about Google Fiber. I heard about it on Aprils fool day and didn’t give it any more thought, as I assumed it wasn’t for real. Turns out it is.

Google Fiber is actually a fiber optic project, and the goal of that project is to build an internet network infrastructure that is extremely fast by using fiber optic communication- which basically is a way of passing information using pulses of light, instead of cable or DSL (both are copper wire communication). Optical fiber is not new and in Sweden quite a few have that,- and if you don’t you can probably pay for it and the value of the property will increase and it will pay for itself. I’ve heard. In the US in 2011 19 million miles of optical fiber were installed, and the demand is growing.

So is Google reinventing the wheel or is there more to what they are doing? Google is not selling the technology- but a service the way I’ve understood it after some Goggling (pun intended) and some package deals.

There are three pricing plans today:

Free internet with 300 USD construction fee
Gigabit Internet 70USD/month – no construction fee (well, there is but it is waived)
Gigabit + TV 120USD/month – no construction fee (well, there is but it is waived)

Google Fiber, current service deals

AS for the package deals, some of the options give you stuff such as a Nexus 7 tablet for the TV option (your new remote control) plus a 2 terabyte DVR recorder. The internet option only service gives you 1 terabyte of Google Drive.

And for 250 USD plus you can get a Chromebook. What?

Weird? It gets weirder.

Currently this is offered in just a few cities, such as Kansas City (Kansas and Missouri), Olathe and Austin. At first the idea was tested in Palo Alto in California, afterwards people could apply to have their city ‘win’ the services.

Now how did I miss out on this spectacle? Apparently a city renamed itself to Google to win. Joking? No, Topeka did. And why on Earth would a city do that? Getting Google Fiber would give much needed publicity to struggling cities, and a technology that would be an advantage for the inhabitants, and as a result maybe even jobs.
For me this reminds me of The Bachelor, and other reality shows,- but this time with larger players and technology as the ‘ultimate bachelor or bachelorette’. Everybody wants to win the heart of Google and get the final ‘Fiber’. :D Sorry couldn’t help myself ;)

Stupid Question 174-175: Is Google Fiber real? And what is it, and what are the services?

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