Google Seeks To Make High-Speed Internet Much Speedier

By Frank James

The high-speed connections most Americans use to connect to the Internet aren't nearly fast enough as far as Google is concerned.

So it plans to use it dominant position as the world's largest Internet company to launch tests of much faster Internet connections, with speeds of as much as an astonishing 1 gigabit per second, about 100 times faster than what's now widely available to customers. Google's slogan for the project: Think big with a gig, building on IBM's "Think" and Apple's "Think Different."

As Google explains in its blog:

Imagine sitting in a rural health clinic, streaming three-dimensional medical imaging over the web and discussing a unique condition with a specialist in New York. Or downloading a high-definition, full-length feature film in less than five minutes. Or collaborating with classmates around the world while watching live 3-D video of a university lecture. Universal, ultra high-speed Internet access will make all this and more possible. We've urged the FCC to look at new and creative ways to get there in its National Broadband Plan -- and today we're announcing an experiment of our own.

We're planning to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the United States. We'll deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today with 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. We plan to offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.

Our goal is to experiment with new ways to help make Internet access better and faster for everyone. Here are some specific things that we have in mind:

-- Next generation apps: We want to see what developers and users can do with ultra high-speeds, whether it's creating new bandwidth-intensive "killer apps" and services, or other uses we can't yet imagine.

-- New deployment techniques: We'll test new ways to build fiber networks, and to help inform and support deployments elsewhere, we'll share key lessons learned with the world.

Openness and choice: We'll operate an "open access" network, giving users the choice of multiple service providers. And consistent with our past advocacy, we'll manage our network in an open, non-discriminatory and transparent way.

The Wall Street Journal had an interview with Minne Ingersoll, a Google product manager, who provided more information on Google's plans. An excerpt:

In an interview, Google product manager Minnie Ingersoll said consumers will be able to buy service directly from Google or from other providers, whom Google will allow to resell the service. She said Google will manage the deployment of the network but probably partner with contractors to help build it.

Google said it would offer service at a speed of 1 gigabit per second--or 100 times faster than what many U.S. consumers are used to--and would offer the service at "a competitive price."

Ms. Ingersoll declined to say how much Google planned to invest in the project, saying it would vary based on which cities participated. She said Google plans to "foot the bill" for the deployments itself, without government subsidies.

Google doesn't plan to roll the service out as a national network, Ms. Ingersoll said. Instead, Google's goal is to help demonstrate how faster access can lead to more innovative Internet services. In a blog post, Google described watching live 3D video lectures and streaming medical imagery as examples.

"We have been advocating that the FCC set up an experimental testbed and this is our way of putting our money where our mouth is," she said.

www.npr.com