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Can Google Save Us From Slow Internet

Posted by samzenpus on from the quicken-my-pipes dept.

CoveredTrax writes "As part of the beta test of their new gigabit fiber network, Google has provided Stanford University with mouthwateringly high-speed Internet. Since the program was announced, the service, which is now being provided free to students and faculty in the Palo Alto area, has got a lot of people to asking (sometimes begging) that their city be next on Google's list for communication salvation. But can Google save us all from inferior web access? And more importantly, is it a good idea to let them?"

5 of 240 comments (clear)

  1. There will be a time... by pasv · · Score: 5, Insightful

    when google gives us free high-speed access and tons of other services to which we will all benefit greatly! But the cost will always be our privacy. Understand google's profit comes from advertising and then piece together how they will benefit. I'm not in favor.

    1. Re:There will be a time... by bonch · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I don't think people realize how much that web advertising drives Google. If you look at their financial reports, it's the majority of their revenue. They're not so much an IT company as they are an advertising company that happens to use IT.

      This is also why you get things like Google refusing to implement the Do Not Track feature in Chrome as well as the absence of anonymity on Plus.

    2. Re:There will be a time... by RobbieThe1st · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Because it's to their advantage to provide fast internet - fast internet = more youtube(etc) watching, more of their ads shown.
      Comcast(etc), on the other hand wants exactly the opposite: They make no money off of providing fast internet, and lose money as people watch less TV.

      So, yes, google would be better.

  2. The first one is always free by pedantic+bore · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Anyone who thinks that Google is doing this out of the kindness of their hearts is silly.

    Google doesn't care whether you have high-speed access. They want to be able to trace your browsing and other internet usage habits, and they want to make sure they can serve up their ads in a way that minimizes the requirements on their resources.

    --
    Am I part of the core demographic for Swedish Fish?
  3. Re:Google? Possibly. What we need is competition. by SwedishPenguin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Dozens of municipalities here in Sweden laid their own fibers and provided open and equal access to ISPs (and IPTV, IPPhone). Building owners/coop-associations generally have to pay to get the last few meters pulled into the building, but the fibers are there already.
    I think publicly owned infrastructure is the only model that can provide true competition, if one of the ISPs own the fibers they will always have a leg up on the others no matter how many laws regulate their behaviour.