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Palo Alto's fiber hopes now rest with Google

City Council wants city to take part in Google's high-speed Internet experiment

Palo Alto's fruitless and frustrating quest for a citywide high-speed Internet network flickered back to life Monday night, when city officials enthusiastically agreed to pursue Google's proposed new ultra-high-speed fiber project.

The City Council voted 6-0 Monday, with Gail Price absent and Larry Klein and Nancy Shepherd recusing themselves, to respond to Google's "request for information" -- the first step in seeking a Google fiber network.

The Mountain View-based company announced its plans to experiment with ultra-high-speed broadband networks on Feb. 10 and asked cities interested in the project to notify the company by March 26.

The new networks, according to Google, would deliver Internet at speeds of more than 1 gigabit per second, which the company said is "more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today."

The council happily endorsed staff's proposal to scrap Palo Alto's effort to obtain federal-stimulus funding for a new broadband system and to focus the city's energies on the Google proposal. Council members and community experts argued that the city's history of innovation and Internet leadership makes it a strong candidate for the Google project.

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The fact that Stanford University, two major hospitals, and a slew of high-tech companies are located in or around Palo Alto doesn't hurt, nor does the fact that Palo Alto has spent the past decade chasing the type of system Google is proposing, council members reasoned.

"I think the potential to really rally a community and think about the changes that could happen in terms of commerce and education and health care and the innovation that can happen with this type of partnership is truly extraordinary," said Vice Mayor Sid Espinosa, who made the motion to apply for the Google network.

So far, Palo Alto's journey toward a citywide fiber network has been a story of repeated setbacks and heartbreaks. Last March, the city's plan to work with a high-tech consortium on a new fiber system collapsed when the consortium's financing dried up. The city also considered applying for federal funding, but concluded that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration grant -- which is geared toward "unserved" and "underserved" communities -- would be a long shot for an affluent Silicon Valley community.

But council members agreed that the Google project is more consistent with the city's goals than the city's previous attempts. City Manager James Keene and several speakers at Monday's meeting used the word "excited" to describe their feelings about the Google proposal.

"We're a community with an extremely high percentage of people who use the Internet, which obviously connects much better to the Google proposal," Keene said.

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Palo Alto currently operates a dark-fiber ring that provides high-speed Internet to some of its large business customers. The ring generates about $2 million a year in revenues. City officials have long hoped to leverage the existing fiber system in expanding the city's Internet network to the entire city -- a project commonly known as "fiber to the premises," and initially called "fiber to the home."

Bob Harrington, member of a citizen-advisory group that advises the council on fiber issues, said Palo Alto overlays "exactly with what Google seems to be seeking." Harrington said Google allows residents to nominate their cities for the project on its website.

Harrington asked the council to rally its residents to support Palo Alto's push toward a Google network -- a suggestion the council endorsed. City officials will schedule a public meeting to inform the community about the fiber project in the near future.

"I think Google is looking for the strongest places to do their test and we have a lot of strengths," Harrington said.

The city has until March 26 to respond to Google's request for information. The company is then expected to narrow its list of interested communities and request more information from the cities it selects.

Gennady Sheyner
 
Gennady Sheyner covers the City Hall beat in Palo Alto as well as regional politics, with a special focus on housing and transportation. Before joining the Palo Alto Weekly/PaloAltoOnline.com in 2008, he covered breaking news and local politics for the Waterbury Republican-American, a daily newspaper in Connecticut. Read more >>

Follow Palo Alto Online and the Palo Alto Weekly on Twitter @paloaltoweekly, Facebook and on Instagram @paloaltoonline for breaking news, local events, photos, videos and more.

Palo Alto's fiber hopes now rest with Google

City Council wants city to take part in Google's high-speed Internet experiment

by / Palo Alto Weekly

Uploaded: Mon, Feb 22, 2010, 11:10 pm

Palo Alto's fruitless and frustrating quest for a citywide high-speed Internet network flickered back to life Monday night, when city officials enthusiastically agreed to pursue Google's proposed new ultra-high-speed fiber project.

The City Council voted 6-0 Monday, with Gail Price absent and Larry Klein and Nancy Shepherd recusing themselves, to respond to Google's "request for information" -- the first step in seeking a Google fiber network.

The Mountain View-based company announced its plans to experiment with ultra-high-speed broadband networks on Feb. 10 and asked cities interested in the project to notify the company by March 26.

The new networks, according to Google, would deliver Internet at speeds of more than 1 gigabit per second, which the company said is "more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today."

The council happily endorsed staff's proposal to scrap Palo Alto's effort to obtain federal-stimulus funding for a new broadband system and to focus the city's energies on the Google proposal. Council members and community experts argued that the city's history of innovation and Internet leadership makes it a strong candidate for the Google project.

The fact that Stanford University, two major hospitals, and a slew of high-tech companies are located in or around Palo Alto doesn't hurt, nor does the fact that Palo Alto has spent the past decade chasing the type of system Google is proposing, council members reasoned.

"I think the potential to really rally a community and think about the changes that could happen in terms of commerce and education and health care and the innovation that can happen with this type of partnership is truly extraordinary," said Vice Mayor Sid Espinosa, who made the motion to apply for the Google network.

So far, Palo Alto's journey toward a citywide fiber network has been a story of repeated setbacks and heartbreaks. Last March, the city's plan to work with a high-tech consortium on a new fiber system collapsed when the consortium's financing dried up. The city also considered applying for federal funding, but concluded that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration grant -- which is geared toward "unserved" and "underserved" communities -- would be a long shot for an affluent Silicon Valley community.

But council members agreed that the Google project is more consistent with the city's goals than the city's previous attempts. City Manager James Keene and several speakers at Monday's meeting used the word "excited" to describe their feelings about the Google proposal.

"We're a community with an extremely high percentage of people who use the Internet, which obviously connects much better to the Google proposal," Keene said.

Palo Alto currently operates a dark-fiber ring that provides high-speed Internet to some of its large business customers. The ring generates about $2 million a year in revenues. City officials have long hoped to leverage the existing fiber system in expanding the city's Internet network to the entire city -- a project commonly known as "fiber to the premises," and initially called "fiber to the home."

Bob Harrington, member of a citizen-advisory group that advises the council on fiber issues, said Palo Alto overlays "exactly with what Google seems to be seeking." Harrington said Google allows residents to nominate their cities for the project on its website.

Harrington asked the council to rally its residents to support Palo Alto's push toward a Google network -- a suggestion the council endorsed. City officials will schedule a public meeting to inform the community about the fiber project in the near future.

"I think Google is looking for the strongest places to do their test and we have a lot of strengths," Harrington said.

The city has until March 26 to respond to Google's request for information. The company is then expected to narrow its list of interested communities and request more information from the cities it selects.

Comments

Howard
Crescent Park
on Feb 23, 2010 at 12:13 am
Howard, Crescent Park
on Feb 23, 2010 at 12:13 am

Unnecessary except for idiots who would rather watch TV on their computers than on their TV.


Bin
Old Palo Alto
on Feb 23, 2010 at 12:43 am
Bin, Old Palo Alto
on Feb 23, 2010 at 12:43 am

Why do you say that Howard?
Do you not want to have something better then what ATT or comcrap is offering us?
This shameful Fiber project palo alto built, is just siting their unused and wasting away.
If Google can do something with it like fix it to the state that it was original intended for I say go for it.




Parent
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Feb 23, 2010 at 7:42 am
Parent, Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Feb 23, 2010 at 7:42 am

And what is wrong with watching tv on your computer? In a family situation watching tv shows, movies, etc. by one person is a viable option for being much more selective. This is only going to become more common, particularly as it will soon be the case that streaming movies from Netflix can be displayed on the tv.


T Tierney
Downtown North
on Feb 23, 2010 at 8:00 am
T Tierney, Downtown North
on Feb 23, 2010 at 8:00 am

Don't criticize poor old Howard. There are many people who like the old ways of doing things, and watching television with the rest of the community used to be part of the social fabric. When you do not like change and you do not understand change, you call those who change idiots. It is surprising that he could write in to a public forum, though.


Toady
Old Palo Alto
on Feb 23, 2010 at 10:18 am
Toady, Old Palo Alto
on Feb 23, 2010 at 10:18 am

I'm actually ok with this. We just need to be comfortable that Google will know everything that you're doing.


Paul
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Feb 23, 2010 at 10:35 am
Paul, Duveneck/St. Francis
on Feb 23, 2010 at 10:35 am

Today Comcast knows everything I am doing on the internet, though I suspect they don't give a #$%. If I choose to use gmail (which I do) then Google already knows everything I am doing there.

The issue is not WHETHER I will use the internet; the issue is HOW. Having a high speed connection is essential to my being able to work from home, saving gas, reducing impact on the environment, reducing traffic, etc.

Comcast and AT&T have been terrible providers for my location in the heart (or so we think) of silicon valley. Higher speeds for less cost would make me more productive.

Anyone who has not already gone to the Google site to request Palo Alto be selected just does not get it.


Bambi
Downtown North
on Feb 23, 2010 at 11:18 am
Bambi, Downtown North
on Feb 23, 2010 at 11:18 am

Come on you guys this is a one time opportunity for us in Palo Alto. Google started right here and this should be Palo Alto not anyone else getting this chance. Why not. I could care less how you use this. Internet, TV Radio who cares really. Its a great thing for our town


Rod
Community Center
on Feb 23, 2010 at 11:19 am
Rod, Community Center
on Feb 23, 2010 at 11:19 am

Yes, please, everyone contact Google to support them providing this to Palo Alto. An incredible opportunity!


Bill
Professorville
on Feb 23, 2010 at 11:28 am
Bill, Professorville
on Feb 23, 2010 at 11:28 am

How does an individual effectively contact Google to help PA get this project?


Dennis
Palo Verde
on Feb 23, 2010 at 11:40 am
Dennis, Palo Verde
on Feb 23, 2010 at 11:40 am

The URL to comment to google is Web Link

Prepare to be creeped out a little. I just got an email reply when I did not enter in an email address. Clearly, Google knows who I am.

What I have not seen addressed is whether we get static IP addresses. I want to host some web services and I do that now with ATT. The proposal includes "web pages" but it is hard to tell if this is at all robust.


Evan
Crescent Park
on Feb 23, 2010 at 11:40 am
Evan, Crescent Park
on Feb 23, 2010 at 11:40 am

I love watching television on my computer. Don't see any problem with that. What I do have a problem with is Comcast internet. They recently told me I used 1TB of bandwidth last month and they're going to shut down my internet.

Only problem? Not a chance I used anywhere near that. I'd LOVE for a new option.


Nayeli
Midtown
on Feb 23, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Nayeli, Midtown
on Feb 23, 2010 at 12:16 pm

When we first moved here, we ordered "Elite" high speed internet through AT&T's DSL service. We paid for it...received our equipment...and attempted to plug it in. Unfortunately, it didn't work.

After a few days of long conversations with AT&T, they sent a "repairman" -- even though AT&T threatened that we might have to pay for a "repair" ourselves.

Sure enough, the problem was NOT in my house...but in the telephone lines. The AT&T serviceman told me that the lines here are "too old" to handle the type of bandwidth that we ordered. We were stuck with "basic" DSL service.

I found it weird that we live in the epicenter of the Silicon Valley -- and can only purchase basic DSL due to old telephone lines in the area.

So...I would welcome anything that would improve upon that without costing us more in taxes or hidden fees.


Don Draper
Midtown
on Feb 23, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Don Draper, Midtown
on Feb 23, 2010 at 12:37 pm

Although many people already know this, it bears repeating that this definitely doesn't just mean you could only watch TV on your computer. You could watch TV on your TV with this too - you can stream blu-ray quality movies to devices like blu-ray players and now even internet enabled TV's. I wonder if you had the google internet if possibly you could then partner it with ATT Uverse.
That's just the entertainment side of things - enthusiastically supporting this is just about the biggest no brainer in history.


Eva
Ventura
on Feb 23, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Eva, Ventura
on Feb 23, 2010 at 12:56 pm

We turned off cable last year, and got Neflix with a Roku box. It allows us to stream thousands of movies & TV shows to our TV. I only pay $16 a month for Netflix. The ROI on the $99 box (compared to cable) was less than 3 months.

I welcome faster, better service and a box that would allow me to stream Hulu to my TV. Then I would never even consider cable again.


GASTON O.
Midtown
on Feb 23, 2010 at 1:30 pm
GASTON O., Midtown
on Feb 23, 2010 at 1:30 pm


We had the same experience that Nayeli writes about with AT&T.

How ever I refused to pay unless I had a service up an running. When after 3 "repairman" visits the service was not working, I dumped AT&T for good. And I've never been back.

I agree that Comcast is not that great, but in terms of comparison with AT&T. I'll take them any time, even the fees are more reasonable if you bundle.

It will be quite exciting to see if Palo Alto can lure Google into upgrading this critical infrastructure. And HP and Facebook should be on board as well, they should embrace this project as Palo Alto Tech champions.


Tech Mom
Fairmeadow
on Feb 23, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Tech Mom, Fairmeadow
on Feb 23, 2010 at 3:58 pm

The problem with the first Palo Alto try was that they targeted North Palo Alto. The fiber would have been successful with all the engineers and techie types in South Palo Alto. Financial types, lawyers and executives don't care that much about speed; you don't need fiber speed for email and Wikipedia. This Google plan sounds like a great idea.


Carlos
College Terrace
on Feb 23, 2010 at 6:14 pm
Carlos, College Terrace
on Feb 23, 2010 at 6:14 pm

Nayeli, I don't like COMCAST, but if you wants something much faster than DSL and you have COMCAST cable service, you can get their high- internet service which is very fast.


Larry
Old Palo Alto
on Feb 23, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Larry, Old Palo Alto
on Feb 23, 2010 at 7:38 pm

If all you want to do is watch movies, why does this require fiber? Why not DVDs or satellite?


fxguy
Charleston Gardens
on Feb 23, 2010 at 9:23 pm
fxguy, Charleston Gardens
on Feb 23, 2010 at 9:23 pm

Traveling around the world, I noticed that I, in the heart of Silicon
Valley, had the slowest bandwidth of all places I had been. Given the
density of engineers in this area, it is a big irony.

After being hostage of the incarnations of ATT (ATT, PacBell, SBC,
ATT-Reborn) and having a top speed of 1Mbps (top distance from CO
limits bandwidth), I switched to Comcast 3 months ago, which offers
10x the bandwidth but has been quite unreliable.

Reading some of the posts, it looks like people totally miss the idea
of the fiber to the home. What you are going to get are things that
don't exist yet, and that is the purpose of this pilot project. Lay
down the infrastructure and people will figure out how to use. Don't
say it is TV or movies. These sure will be there, but many more other
things not yet invented. The infrastructure needs to be there.

2-way video will be a large part of this. I would like to attend
conferences, classes, have discussions, all thru this new media from
my home - 2-way. If you try this today, you are limited to the
bandwidth, there is no quality of service, a very small screen. Think
about putting these things in your large display in HD. It will bring
people closer, throughout the country and the world.

May be calling to a medical office, you can get screened from the home
using high-resolution interactive imagery. You can access more
doctors, not just local ones.

Think about grandparents living far away from their grandkids. They
could read them a story before bedtime, using 2-way video. Win-win
for both.

The possibilities are endless. What everyone needs to be doing is
requesting higher bandwidth to the home and start dreaming about
the things that don't exist and you would like to see, what can
help people, improve quality of life. I'm pretty sure the 1Gbps
bandwidth won't be enough. :-)


Joanne
Charleston Meadows
on Feb 23, 2010 at 11:57 pm
Joanne, Charleston Meadows
on Feb 23, 2010 at 11:57 pm

Our experiences with Comcast, then AT&T (U-verse is a joke), then Comcast again over more than 10 years tells me there has to be a better way. Reliability is real important to us, and not delivered so far. Sure enough, when I visit my relatives in Sweden, they have a hot Internet connection and some real creative local services.

It just feels like America is on the wrong track with this Internet stuff. Maybe this Google idea will help positive change occur. We certainly could use it here in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Somebody is saying you can tell Google you want them to come. Does anyone know how?


fxguy
Charleston Gardens
on Feb 24, 2010 at 1:37 am
fxguy, Charleston Gardens
on Feb 24, 2010 at 1:37 am

Joanne,

you can go to this site to nominate Palo Alto:

Web Link

I had requested my Palo Alto friends to go above and nominate
Palo Alto, and everyone reading here can do that as well.

And Palo Alto city city can show interest, and I believe
that is what the news above indicate, that they have until March 26
to get into the list.


why here?
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Feb 24, 2010 at 2:14 am
why here?, Duveneck/St. Francis
on Feb 24, 2010 at 2:14 am

Palo Alto is the last place that Google should enable with fiber. There are many communities that need fiber for economic development; our community should get off its duff and DO IT! Palo Alto doesn't have FTTH because it is not creative, and doesn't take risks. Why reward that? Google, take your business and ideas elsewhere, where they will be better appreciated and will do a lot more good. Trying to profile "average use" from a city with a demographic profile like Palo Alto will also skew the numbers for this Google experiment. Palo Alto is not an "average" city in terms of use. Palo Also is a bad choice for this experiment, even though I would love to see fiber here. Do no harm? Come on, Google! Google will create an opportunity cost for a more needy city of it deploys fiber in Palo Alto.


Resident
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Feb 24, 2010 at 8:01 am
Resident, Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Feb 24, 2010 at 8:01 am

Technology in Europe is way ahead of us as it affects the everyday lives of the people.

For example:-

A phone number tells you by looking at it whether you are calling a house land line or a mobile cell phone. Receiving calls on cell phones are free, even though calling another cell phone from your own cell phone or your house phone is more expensive, but at least you know before you call what type of phone you are calling.

Land line phones can be set up so that all calls will automatically be transferred to your cell phone when you are away from home.

You can send texts from your home computer to a dumb phone, or even to multi phone numbers. Dumb phones are still as popular as ever because of this feature.

TV stations (eg the BBC) are able to split their channels, eg the same channel can broadcast 4 olympic events at the same time.

TV stations have teletext which enables pages of broadcast information to be broadcast on unused space - this has been there for decades and although is not as used as much now because of the internet, it is still available on all tvs and very useful for breaking news and tv schedules.

Internet access is more readily available with much better service. It is treated as an important utility to all homes and businesses, just as water, gas and electricity.

The US is behind on all this, and Silicon Valley and Palo Alto are even behind other areas of the US.


Pecuniac
Midtown
on Feb 24, 2010 at 8:13 am
Pecuniac, Midtown
on Feb 24, 2010 at 8:13 am

Lets hope that whatever billing system is easier to understand than Comcrap or ATT's.
My vote is for a reliable high speed connection that sends a message to the telecoms that the public is prepared to send their control of communications to the dust bin of history. Hopefully, the message will impress the 'Club' at the FCC.


Carlito
Palo Verde
on Feb 24, 2010 at 10:00 am
Carlito, Palo Verde
on Feb 24, 2010 at 10:00 am

The majority of you people make me laugh!!!!!!!!!! The main reason you like the Google plan is because you want to be able to watch movies on your computer???? Get of your waxed ass and do something productive and helpful for people in need.
Silicon valley? There is the wrong idea that this area of the world is the non plus ultra of the technology world and their inhabitants live in a Jetsonian environment. Guess what! Certain countries in Asia and several in Europe are way ahead of us, I suggest at least read the newspapers, and do research on the web.

Cheers.


Freud
Professorville
on Feb 24, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Freud, Professorville
on Feb 24, 2010 at 3:32 pm

Carlito speaks the truth. Undeneath all the know-it-all rhetoric so typical of Palo Alto online forum dialog is a core of just plain lazy, vain ego.


George
Old Palo Alto
on Feb 24, 2010 at 6:07 pm
George, Old Palo Alto
on Feb 24, 2010 at 6:07 pm

Carlito,

Yes, some nations have better broadband or wireless infrastructure than us. But, the US and Silicon Valley have not only created our fair share of the best infrastructure technology, as well as the applications that deliver more of the business value and therefore deliver higher margins. That's what we're doing all day. So we'd like to watch a movie - so what. We'll also dream and create the nexl great apps on this new faster infrastructure.

Quit bashing America and our town. Get a life.

I've traveled around the world to Scandanavia, the leader in wireless netorks, and Korea and China, the leaders in wired broadband residential networks. There may be some advantages to fast access, but they are a small part of the innovation recipie.

-George


why here?
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Feb 24, 2010 at 7:28 pm
why here?, Duveneck/St. Francis
on Feb 24, 2010 at 7:28 pm

George: "I've traveled around the world to Scandanavia, the leader in wireless netorks, and Korea and China, the leaders in wired broadband residential networks. There may be some advantages to fast access, but they are a small part of the innovation recipie."

Huh? Have you read any of the recent reports about the fragile nature of this place, from a tech innovation and long-term sustainability standpoint? If anyone needs to get out and look around...well, you get my drift.

Palo Alto (and the region) has largely become self-prepossessing tech backwater, still infused with innovation, but fast **losing ground** to other cities/regions compared with other already-established and coming cities/regions - and don't let the puffed up local press or false pride kid you on that. We are living on past laurels, and <still> live with the silly notion that because much of the early fertilization of tech happened in Palo Alto (actually a direct bi-product of Stanford's presence, the place that PA whiners are constantly bashing). You sound like an Ethiopian who is bragging about how important Ethiopia is in the *current* state of things, just becuse our species' DNA was largely triggered form the region.

Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, the entire northern tier of Europe, UK, France, etc. etc. Come on! Stop living in the past!

Palo Alto? A serious tech center? Not any more; not compared to what's happening in other places. What we are is a fast-aging community with a decaying infrastructure, bound up by a largely unsound governance model. There's a lot of money here; that's what keeps the whole thing ticking, with Stanford going to become *more and more* important to our "success" as we turn into a place for retired tech generals. You think I'm kidding, look at the population projections for the city.

Sure there's potential here, but why should Google spend its money here, of all places. Google, spend your money in places that NEED your money, and leave the places that have been too uncreative to innovate and take risk - especially those places that have missed opportunity after opportunity - to tag along once you've figured out how the *average* community uses deployed fiber.

I'd love to see fiver here, but not this way - not at the cost ofo some more needy community getting it. Innovation? Where have all these hot local innovators been all these years - including some pro-FTTH Council members? I'll tell you. They've been largely sucking their thumbs, unable to agree or work together on anything that's functional - unable to create a compelling value proposition about fiver that SELLS; unable to garner community support, and instead contemplating their navels for 15 years with one lame FTTH plan after another. Do we deserve Google fiber? Hell, NO!

I hate to think of all the petty local would-be fiber-gods getting their mitts on the capacity that Google's enablement would bring. They're mostly a bunch of big babies who just know how to scream at City Council members and blab about how they ran Cable Co-op (into the ground, btw), and howh "forward-looking" they've been all these years - forgetting that neither they nor their policymakers or their city management haven't been able to EXECUTE on plan. How many $$$ spent on thisi initiative, again? - not including staff $$$. Now they want to get a Google freebee, while EPA and other local communities who really NEED and would USE fiber in really novel ways that help move the ENTIRE community forward (instead of tony Professorville insiders using it for their lame home businesses).

Google, *please* don't deploy fiber in Palo Alto. Palo Alto does not have a shred of innovation or execution chops in its DNA - not any more. Let the holier-than-thou'ers truck down to Milpitas, or Newark, or San Jose, or over to EPA or Redwood City - and put their so-called "vision" to work helping really needy communities, instead of giving them a largely undeserved gift that will be largely wasted (considering comparative lost opportunity costs) on what we have proven ourselves to deliver, from a municipal standpoint - lots of "projects" that go nowhere. Palo Alto is spoiled; ;it needs to grow up. It needs to feel a little pain that filters past Monday evening Council meetings - enough pain so that the everyday, normally uninvolved citizen wakes up to how dysfunctional governance and the whiney-level layer of "community involvers" really are. Then things might get better around here; then we might get to a place where this city works again. Why spoil a spoiled brat with more goodies? It just doesn't make sense.




Sharon
Midtown
on Feb 24, 2010 at 7:35 pm
Sharon, Midtown
on Feb 24, 2010 at 7:35 pm


PA should decline any Google offer and defer to EPA, is not the need greater in EPA ?

We in PA can afford HS internet, we should defer to the less advantaged in EPA for the Google investment, it is only fair and just.


here?
Esther Clark Park
on Feb 24, 2010 at 9:05 pm
here?, Esther Clark Park
on Feb 24, 2010 at 9:05 pm

why here -

The logic is, if we don't do Google's ultra-high-speed fiber project, it will fix the problems with PA city government and all the other problems Palo Alto is facing.

????

Outside of that consideration, there is plenty of creativity in Palo Alto likely to develop new ways to leverage ultra-high-speed fiber.


why here?
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Feb 24, 2010 at 11:54 pm
why here?, Duveneck/St. Francis
on Feb 24, 2010 at 11:54 pm

"The logic is, if we don't do Google's ultra-high-speed fiber project, it will fix the problems with PA city government and all the other problems Palo Alto is facing."

You're missing the point. The logic is that Palo Alto doesn't need this as badly as other communities, and we have in the past screwed up every single telecommunications play attempted here - including Cable Co-op and the FTTH fiasco that has gone on hopelessly for years. Now, the same players who were responsible for those failures are pumping Google for a favor. Google will do more good somewhere else. Palo Alto doesn't deserve Google's help as much as EPA and other communities do. Google's motto is "do no harm". Advantaging an already rich city at the opportunity cost of ignoring other cities in far more need creates an interesting social opportunity cost scenario for Google. Here's hoping that Google does the right thing, and deploys fiber services elsewhere.


Nayeli
Midtown
on Feb 25, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Nayeli, Midtown
on Feb 25, 2010 at 2:20 pm

Hi why here...

You wrote: "You're missing the point. The logic is that Palo Alto doesn't need this as badly as other communities..."

Maybe you are speaking of yourself? I could certainly use something better than the terrible service that AT&T offers (DSL) or something as apparently inconsistent as Comcast.

It is strange that my father-in-law lives wayyyyy outside of town...out in the country...in the midwest...but has better DSL service than I have here in the heart of the Silicon Valley!

I don't know if this is true all over Palo Alto, but I live in "Midtown"...between Oregon Expressway and Loma Verde...and between Middlefield and Alma St. I was told by AT&T several times that our local lines are old and insufficient to allow any bandwidth above BASIC (which is less than a MB/sec). Even with "basic" DSL, my "red light" comes on and off on an almost daily basis. I was told that this was due to the lines in the area (which are outside of AT&T's control).

This isn't exactly an "old" area of town. How is it that the telephone lines are insufficient for higher bandwidth DSL...and that there doesn't seem to be any plan to change this in the near future?

I would welcome ANYTHING that would improve the quality of life in Palo Alto without adding much more to the ever-increasing cost of living here. I'm not sure if Google is doing this as a benevolent outreach...or in the interest of testing out such service while considering how well this could work. Since Palo Alto would definitely get higher use out of all of this -- then I would think that this would be a great "experiment" into feasibility. If it will work in Palo Alto...it would work anywhere.

Why here...while you can talk about how "rich" Palo Alto is...it might help to realize that many of us are NOT rich. Sure, some in this town might make more money than the national average (before California's massive per capita taxes, fees and additional costs are measured). However, there are plenty of us "middle class" Palo Alto residents who are forced to absorb the increasingly massive cost of living here.

Remember -- the cost of living is much higher in California than most other places in America. Taxes, fees, inflation and "hidden costs" (bridge tolls, supplemental taxes, CRVs, etc..) make it difficult to survive on even a typical "middle class" household income. Moreover, many goods and services are far more expensive in Palo Alto than in most of California. Who is forced to bear the brunt of this? Those of us who earn less than a six figure household income are carrying the weight of this 1000lb gorilla on our backs.

So, I would definitely welcome any improvement in internet service that could help us without costing us another arm and leg in taxes and fees.


Toady
Old Palo Alto
on Feb 25, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Toady, Old Palo Alto
on Feb 25, 2010 at 2:53 pm

Whether Palo Alto or East Palo Alto "deserves" this is a red herring.

From my understanding (out of my butt), Google is doing this to help test next generation Internet-based services. The more people use the Internet, the more money they make. Google is probably choosing communities based on this criteria more than whether a community "deserves" it or not. If a community is best suited for helping them drive new and innovated uses where Google can throw their adwords in, that community will likely get a nod.

They're a business, not a charity. Let's not confuse the two.


Foghorn Leghorn
Fairmeadow
on Feb 26, 2010 at 1:09 am
Foghorn Leghorn, Fairmeadow
on Feb 26, 2010 at 1:09 am

Ah say, Google is not a charity, and it is not the government which, with all its altruistic rationals, marches to the tune laid down by the incumbents in America. The telecom lobby, it is said, is among the most powerful in Washington, DC. Follow the money.

It is no coincidence that 'unserved' and 'underserved' communities and countrysides were favored when billions in federal stimulus funds were handed out.

Guess where the incumbents have no interest in going?

Exactly, the boonies. Why? Because there is no money out there for them. I went out there, but the pickin's were slim.

So billions of Uncle Sam moola go to the boondocks while the telecom/cable duopoly foxes are left alone in America's top 100 markets where us chickens are roosting. My chicken coop had been turned into an ugly slaughter house by those ruthless predators.

Who's going to help us? The chicken lobby? I don't think so.

I can tell you the guy who ran off a laundry list of 'failure' points probably works for one of the telecom Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD) offices.

Like I said, ruthless predators...I said, ruthless predators.



Sergey
Old Palo Alto
on Mar 2, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Sergey, Old Palo Alto
on Mar 2, 2010 at 2:49 pm

Some other cities are more interested in Google than Palo Alto. Story on CNN: Web Link


Adam
JLS Middle School
on Mar 17, 2010 at 8:04 pm
Adam, JLS Middle School
on Mar 17, 2010 at 8:04 pm

well any way it would be great if we could get it it would allow Palo Alto to innovate even more, and it would let me host my own site


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