Phil Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-google-fiber-is-like-2012-11 Google Fiber gives you 1 Gbps (as in gigabit per second) of data speed, downstream and upstream, for $70 a month. That's 75-100 times as fast as cable Internet service (at least Time Warner's) when it's operating at advertised speeds (which, in our household at least, it often is not). The Google installers promise to come to your house at the time of your appointment, not in some vague "window" that requires you to be home for 4 hours at a stretch (or much longer, if they don't show). For anyone who has ever screamed in rage at the lousy customer service provided by the local cable company, this will be a big selling point. It will be interesting to see if Google can actually deliver on it. The installation is a two-step process. There are different technicians for inside and outside your house, and they come on different days. In the first step, the Google installers pull fiber from the utility pole to the side of your house. The "fiber" is actually fiber: A thin thread of glass. If you haven't marveled at how much digital stuff can be pumped through a pipe that size, now's your chance to marvel. In the second step, a home installer brings several pieces of equipment to your house, depending on whether you want just Internet or "TV service" for an additional $50 per month. The additional equipment consists of a "fiber jack" (a sort of modem), a "storage" box that acts as the home server, and a "TV box" for each TV. The TV boxes are small and sexy and look nothing like massive cable TV boxes. The TV boxes also operate partly via WiFi and bluetooth (fewer cords). The storage box can store two terabytes of video. You get a free Nexus 7 tablet (with a two-year subscription) to use as a remote control, in addition to a Google Fiber remote. The Google Fiber remote has fewer mystifying buttons than a typical TV remote. That's a very encouraging change from the "Google TV" remote of a couple of years ago, which looked more complicated than the flight deck of the Space Shuttle. The "TV" interface comes in a few different formats: There's a standard channel guide with DVR functionality, a "Discover" engine that recommends shows and movies to you, and the Holy Grail of TV 2.0: An interface that allows you to select what you want to watch and then lists every version of it that is available, regardless of which network or delivery service is showing it (i.e., Netflix, YouTube, CBS, etc.) The latter is the interface that most digital TV viewers have been waiting for. The TV service is still lacking several obvious features and attributes, such as YouTube integration and HBO and other networks. Also, you have to use the Google Fiber remote control to run Netflix. But the single interface is helpful. (Right now, in our household, we have to search three or four different services to try to find a particular movie or program: "On Demand" directories from HBO, etc., Netflix, iTunes, and Amazon. This is tedious and annoying.) Cable companies appear to be freaking out about the arrival of Google Fiber, which, at least on paper, offers a much better service for less money. Greenfield and Piecyk report that Time Warner Cable is literally going from house to house to check Internet speeds and make sure customers are happy. If all Google Fiber does is make cable companies start caring more about customer service, it will be a big win for the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Lothbrok Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 It's happening. Welcome to United States of Google. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Falco Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Fuck yes, do want to be rid of cable visions ridiculous prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morphinity 2.0 Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 There's absolutely no reason for the shitty Internet infrastructure in this country. And for the crap we get, the prices are ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rizz GAWD Lav No Cap FrFr Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 There's no reason for the shitty infrastructure period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I am Scags Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Love it! Nothing would make me more happy than to watch these cash cow middle men cable companies be put out of business! Hopefully this is a good start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuhgeddaboudit Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 I can't wait! GOOGLE GOOGLE GOOGLE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdMc28 Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Sounds awesome. Would defiantly be interesting in switching to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rizz GAWD Lav No Cap FrFr Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 I'd be interested to know what their tv services are like and their channel diversity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindG1000 Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Good. Verizon, TW, Cablevision, etc should be shitting their pants when a massive company has the resources, plan and power to call them on their bullshit. Here comes $120 gigabit+ tons of HD channels. Eat a bag, others. Google is without question THE choice for home entertainment when this goes live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindG1000 Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 I'd be interested to know what their tv services are like and their channel diversity. http://fiber.google.com/plans/channels/ Biggest flaw right now is no HBO/Cinemax. That'll be fixed. And fuck, RedZone for $40? WOW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdMc28 Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Damn $40 for just the red zone channel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quick release Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Well that's great news for all you city folk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindG1000 Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Damn $40 for just the red zone channel? Fuck that, its totally worth it. Redzone is AMAZING. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niagaraiceman Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Isn't it 40 for the whole year? I'd say thats worth it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Bateman Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 I just stream redzone on my computer while watching a game on my TV, I need to watch drives develop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdMc28 Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Fuck that, its totally worth it. Redzone is AMAZING. I agree it's great but cablevision includes it for nothing right now. Do all the other provides charge for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindG1000 Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 I agree it's great but cablevision includes it for nothing right now. Do all the other provides charge for it? Verizon clearly does, as I don't have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Dreamer Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 There's no reason for the shitty infrastructure period. There is: No one wants to pay it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 A few questions from a guy who does this shit for a living.. 1. Did Google build a fiber network, or are they piggybacking? 2. Are they seriously dumb enough to be hanging it aerial? That's really taking the easy way out if so. The infrastructure for this stuff is indeed pretty bad in both the U.S. and Canada, but for a pretty simple reason. You could fit fucking Europe in a single province, so NA and European providers aren't even playing the same game here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Well that's great news for all you city folk. Actually, it's the small towns that are getting fiber first here. Forget Google, any small independant can do this quite easily if they were willing to lay down the cash to get it done. The fastes internet speeds in North America are currently backwater small, rural towns with populations under 10,000 while urban centers are stuck with the old shit because it's simply to expensive to do an entire city at one time. I was involved with doing this in Kitchener for Bell Canada and it was a farce. We got the fiber in to neighbourhoods and then your "fiber" connection became copper for the final run to your house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
13 Zherdev 13 Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 2. Are they seriously dumb enough to be hanging it aerial? That's really taking the easy way out if so. Isn't laying it underground ridiculously expensive? I thought laying electric underground is somewhere in the neighborhood of > $1mill per mile? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quick release Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Actually, it's the small towns that are getting fiber first here. Forget Google, any small independant can do this quite easily if they were willing to lay down the cash to get it done. The fastes internet speeds in North America are currently backwater small, rural towns with populations under 10,000 while urban centers are stuck with the old shit because it's simply to expensive to do an entire city at one time. I was involved with doing this in Kitchener for Bell Canada and it was a farce. We got the fiber in to neighbourhoods and then your "fiber" connection became copper for the final run to your house. My internet speed is faster because there's not many people bogging it down. But that's cable. You're saying fiber conections go into rural areas first? Then how come I have like no chance at getting Verizon fios???? I don't know. I find what you're saying really hard to believe. I'd love to believe it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 I can't speak to the US, but my pricing is currently $55 a meter to place a single conduit. It's expensive, but linemen aren't free either and in Google's case they are going to be renting every single pole they hang their stuff on. 2 major problems with aerial are one, it's plain ugly to look at and two, your network is only as stable as the next drunk that drives his car through a pole. Fiber is a huggge pain in the ass to splice compared to copper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 My internet speed is faster because there's not many people bogging it down. But that's cable. You're saying fiber conections go into rural areas first? Then how come I have like no chance at getting Verizon fios???? I don't know. I find what you're saying really hard to believe. I'd love to believe it though. Man, my parents live in Hanover, Ontario about 100 miles from any urban center with a population in excess of 30,000 and they enjoy speeds upwards of 60mbps with only the basic service. Your problem is verizon and the fact that they probably have zero incentive to put up the capital to upgrade. Here, it's the small independants that are taking the initiative and getting these FTTH projects done because they know it will keep Bell and Rogers out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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