If ISPs were concerned before, they should really start sweating it now. Although Google Fiber looked like it would whip traditional ISPs in every regard--indeed, Time Warner Cable allegedly cut prices and boosted speeds for some users in Kansas City in a desperate attempt to keep them as customers--surely ISPs were hoping the pilot program would flame out. Now that Austin is happening, it’s clear that it’s only a matter of time before Google rolls out its service in many more cities.
This article documents some of Google's efforts to roll out fibre broadband in the US, with speeds in the gigabit range, challenging the incumbent operators substantially.
From an incumbent perspective, could this be a call to action to improve, or the sound of impending doom? Do ISPs need to do more to earn their money, or are they already stretched?
Do you like the idea of the world's biggest data mining company seeing all your Internet traffic, or do you see the potential competition stimulus as worth the potentially short term harm?
The commentary on Slashdot also draws out some interesting points.
What do you think? A good move, or one customers should be concerned about?
