When Google launched its hyper-fast internet service, Google Fiber, in 2010, the world rejoiced at the prospect of increased productivity and near-infinite bandwidth. While Fiber has slowly grown, Google has mostly integrated it in smaller communities, as a means of sampling it for eventual widespread integration. This was until Google announced its plans to begin offering Fiber in San Francisco, along with Silicon Valley.
Upon hearing the news, residents of the Bay Area were, as expected, ecstatic. However, corporations such as AT&T and Comcast were most certainly not. While their real concerns derive from their fear of Google outshining them, which is inevitable if Google can proceed, their public concern revolves around how Google will need to use public and private utility poles to spread their network.
In some places, Google could hypothetically just bury their Fiber cables, however, it’s incredibly expensive, and seeing as Google’s already invested several billion dollars into the product, their first looking for cheaper options before it spends another several billion. Google will attempt to gain membership to the Northern California Joint Pole Association, yet its failed so far at this point. Despite Google’s struggles, their parent company, Alphabet Inc., is the biggest company in the United States, and will at some point, out fight its competitors and Fiber will be countrywide.