Google Delays FTTH Launch in Kansas City
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, May 21, 2012 · 
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The New Edge has been closing following the developments of Google’s experimental 1Gbps fiber network in Kansas City, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo.
More than one year ago the Internet giant announced that Kansas City was the lucky winner of its fiber network contest. The initial plan was that subscribers could start signing up for service in late 2011, with a service launch date by Easter 2012.
The project has encountered many snags along the way, including a high-profile disagreement about pole attachment fees. As a result, Google recently revised its timeline to a June 30 service launch date. However, this appears to be delayed once again. The Kansas City Star published an article on May 18 which reports that the company will not meet its self-imposed deadline.
“Well have an announcement about Google Fiber this summer,” a company spokeswoman told the paper, when asked about the schedule. Google’s PR representatives have been characteristically mum on the subject.
5GB of Cloud Storage
Posted by Steve Fravel on Friday, April 6, 2012 · ·
Several of the online trade publications were buzzing on April 3 about a screen shot at TalkAndroid.com of a rumored new service in development at Google.
Called “Google Drive,” the thought is that Google will soon offer a free storage locker in the cloud for users to safely store and access files of all kinds. It is believed that Google will provide 5 gigabits of storage when the service is rolled out, probably mid April.
According to the online trades, reports of the new feature from Google began to surface in February.
The major advantage to cloud storage is access regardless of location. Files stored in Google Drive may be accessed from your computer’s desktop, or from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. While 5 gigabits is not a huge amount of storage, speculation suggests that additional storage will be made available with stipulated requirements.
Google Fiber: 100 Miles and Counting in Kansas City
Posted by Jesse Ward on Friday, April 6, 2012 · ·
The New Edge has been closely following the developments of Google’s experimental 1 Gbps fiber network the company is deploying in Kansas City, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo.
In early February, Google announced that it was finally ready to start stringing fiber on utility poles throughout the city, having resolved any outstanding issues with the local utility company. This week, Google issued an update on its construction progress, announcing that its crews have already hung more than 100 miles of fiber.
John Toccalino, a manager for Google’s Kansas City fiber project, provided this basic diagram (view the image after the jump) showing the network architecture. Google is building several equipment aggregation centers — or “Google Fiber Huts” – from which the fiber cables will travel along utility poles into neighborhoods and homes. Google also is installing some fiber underground. Read more
Google is Developing Heads-Up Connected Glasses
Posted by Jesse Ward on Thursday, February 23, 2012 · ·
According to a widely cited blog post in 9 to 5 Google, Google is working on a heads-up display for your smartphone, a pair of glasses that will be able to stream information in real-time.
The glasses are expected to have a front-facing camera, a small screen and a number of sensors such as motion detection and GPS. The glasses are thought to communicate directly with the cloud, although they also might connect to your smartphone using Bluetooth or WiFi in order to access a 3G or 4G Internet connection.
According to the article’s anonymous sources, the low-resolution camera will be able to record your surroundings. More importantly, the camera can be used for augmented reality applications that will access Google’s online services and overlay information based upon your preferences, location and friends who might be nearby. Read more
Google Petitions for Antenna Farm
Posted by Steve Fravel on Thursday, February 23, 2012 · ·
Google Fiber has petitioned the FCC to begin construction on a satellite antenna farm. Google Fiber, a subsidiary of Google, is requesting permission to place the antennas near its Council Bluffs, Iowa, data center.
Google intends to receive broadcast and other television network signals at the Iowa location, possibly to bundle them in with its high-speed fiber service.
Google announced earlier in February that it was making final preparations to begin laying in fiber from Kansas to the Missouri line. Google indicated late last year that it was contemplating adding video services to its Kansas to Missouri fiber optic service. Last Friday, Google reportedly filed franchise applications for cable distribution service in Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri.
The plans for the satellite antenna farm call for 4.5 meter antennas to receive analog and digital audio signals, data transmissions and video signals. Google notes that it will receive both domestic and international satellite feeds.
Consumer Protection Matters to the VON Coalition…Sometimes
Posted by Michael Romano on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 · ·
If it’s an information service, no blocking. If it’s a telecom service, no blocking. But if it’s something in between, well not so fast . . .
More than 20 appeals of the FCC’s recent USF/ICC reform order have been filed, and it will be fascinating to see the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit sort through all of the concerns raised. Of course, many of the appellants raise common issues, such as challenges to retroactive caps on cost recovery and/or the mandatory drive toward a default zero ICC rate for all switched services. (NTCA teed up both of these issues, among others, in its docketing statement filed with the court.)
But one party’s filing jumped out at me the other day. A docketing statement filed by the VON Coalition presents one straightforward – but quite astounding – issue:
The VON Coalition seeks review of the portions of the Report and Order . . . that impose a “No Blocking” obligation on providers of interconnected Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and one-way VoIP services . . . . Read more
Google’s Next-Gen Network is Delayed by Pole Attachments
Posted by Jesse Ward on Friday, January 27, 2012 · (1) ·
Last March, when Google announced it planned to build a 1 Gpbs FTTH network in Kansas City, I was left with the distinct impression that the Internet giant thought it would be a relatively easy undertaking. After all, Google is not traditionally in the business of network build out, yet the ambitious project was conceived with the intent to showcase next-generation deployment techniques, apps and network characteristics such as open-access and consumer choice.
Nearly 10 months later, the company has been plagued by right-of-way issues that have slowed down the network build out and service launch. It’s difficult to determine just how much of a delay has occurred since Google won’t publicly admit that its network build out is behind schedule. According to the Kansas City Star, a local paper, the company had planned to enroll customers in late 2011, and launch its service in the first quarter of this year. However, Google has yet to install any cables. It’s now estimating a service launch date later this year.
Just what is the holdup? The paper reports that Google is now engaged in a debate about how it will hang its wires on utility poles and the associated fees and costs. Read more