Veroxity Wavelengths

Google’s Plan for Fiber-Optic Networks

Posted by James Capuano

A couple of years ago when Google was reaching out to a number of different sources looking for dark fiber, the general public knew that something was coming out of it, we just didn’t know what. The recent news about Google’s plan to build a number of experimental, fiber-optic networks has created quite a buzz in the world of telecommunications and the questions are now beginning to resurface. It seems that Google is willing, ready, and able to try their hand at anything technology related. We have established that. I am sitting at my desk ‘Googling’ information about Google while talking on my Google Android cell phone. When these networks are complete will we be ‘Googling’ on an internet provided by Google-owned fiber? I am curious as to what their main intentions and goals are with the building of this network. At first glance it looked like they were simply trying to reduce network costs by in-sourcing it completely but now I am not so sure. Is this endeavor really meant to be geared toward the ‘500,000 people’ they mention or is this more of an enterprise business plan? To me, it seems as though it could end up being a cannibalistic product offering. They would have to be competing with the Verizon’s and AT&T’s of the world if they built this network. Regardless of their intentions, Google has proven itself time and again at being incredibly successful at everything they get their hands in and I have no doubt that they will accomplish whatever it is they are setting out to do. I look forward to seeing their influence reflected in the telecommunications space.