Back in March, Google announced over 1,100 communities had applied for their highly publicized Google Fiber for Communities Project, which aims to deploy a 1 Gbps FTTP network in at least one community (maybe multiple communities). Since then, Google selected a Stanford University community to build a test/beta FTTP network in prep for the actual deployment, to be announced sometime in 2011.

An independent California ISP, Sonic.net, has been selected to manage this beta network. The network will be built to approximately 850 staff and faculty homes near the university. “Sonic.net will manage operation of the network, provide customer service and support and perform on-site installation and repair,” explains a Sonic.net press release.

Sonic.net, based in Santa Rosa, Ca, is an “open Internet” ISP which operates its own network as well as offers wholesale services to seventy other providers across a 13 state territory.

“Sonic.net is an innovative ISP that brings top notch experience to the Google Fiber for Communities project,” said James Kelly, Google Fiber for Communities product manager. “Their open access experience and well regarded customer service team will play a key role as we kick off our beta network at Stanford.”

The move by Google illustrates their desire to partner with existing service providers for their Google Fiber project. Going forward, this program may present additional opportunities for others.

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4 thoughts on “Independent ISP to Manage Google FTTP Project

  1. Actually Google's Go Big with a Gig WAS planning FTTH (Fiber to the HOME) not FTTP, FTTN, FTTx egad I hope that your article here is inaccurate. Perhaps they are only doing FTTP at Stanford, CA, there test location…perhaps…at least I hope that is the case. If all Google is planning now is FTTP and not FTTH, than no need to wait to determine which 5 cities will get blessed with Google FTTH fiber as there are locations offering full FTTH today.

    Anything less than FTTH, while better than Cable, will artificially create un-necessary limitations in the infrastructure between the customer and the Internet and should be avoided at all costs!

    If they do anything but FTTP that would be significant shift from what they have already announced. It would be sad.

    For those that do not want to wait, here is a map showing where you can move to NOW to get FTTH in the USA: http://sn.im/1axal4

    How does one of these sound to you for your Internet viewing synchronous FTTH pleasure:
    $34.95 per month for 10Mb/10Mb (Wilson, NC) OR
    $28.95 per month for 10Mb/10Mb (Layfayette, LA) OR
    $57.99 per month for 30Mb/30Mb (Chattanooga, TN) OR
    a range $51 to $68 per month for either 10Mb/10Mb or 15Mb/Mb (Utopia, Utah, depending on provider)

    The one thing all of those have in common is they are a huge leap better than Cable or any other non FTTH fiber offering in the USA as of December 2010. And some of those will let you run your own cloud server or mail server….and that is HUGE!

    I included the prices as most of the media only wants to talk about the top tier 1Gbps/1Gbps synchronous bandwidth which is significantly more expensive. Personally I would be thrilled to have 10Mbps/10Mbps. That 10Mbps upstream would most likely insure that streaming content does not skip, pause, stop or get garbled, as long as the telcos in between do not change the Quality of Service or something else of a NON Net Neutrality way.

    If they can, they will…

  2. Actually Google's Go Big with a Gig WAS planning FTTH (Fiber to the HOME) not FTTP, FTTN, FTTx egad I hope that your article here is inaccurate. Perhaps they are only doing FTTP at Stanford, CA, there test location…perhaps…at least I hope that is the case. If all Google is planning now is FTTP and not FTTH, than no need to wait to determine which 5 cities will get blessed with Google FTTH fiber as there are locations offering full FTTH today.

    Anything less than FTTH, while better than Cable, will artificially create un-necessary limitations in the infrastructure between the customer and the Internet and should be avoided at all costs!

    If they do anything but FTTP that would be significant shift from what they have already announced. It would be sad.

    For those that do not want to wait, here is a map showing where you can move to NOW to get FTTH in the USA: http://sn.im/1axal4

    How does one of these sound to you for your Internet viewing synchronous FTTH pleasure:
    $34.95 per month for 10Mb/10Mb (Wilson, NC) OR
    $28.95 per month for 10Mb/10Mb (Layfayette, LA) OR
    $57.99 per month for 30Mb/30Mb (Chattanooga, TN) OR
    a range $51 to $68 per month for either 10Mb/10Mb or 15Mb/Mb (Utopia, Utah, depending on provider)

    The one thing all of those have in common is they are a huge leap better than Cable or any other non FTTH fiber offering in the USA as of December 2010. And some of those will let you run your own cloud server or mail server….and that is HUGE!

    I included the prices as most of the media only wants to talk about the top tier 1Gbps/1Gbps synchronous bandwidth which is significantly more expensive. Personally I would be thrilled to have 10Mbps/10Mbps. That 10Mbps upstream would most likely insure that streaming content does not skip, pause, stop or get garbled, as long as the telcos in between do not change the Quality of Service or something else of a NON Net Neutrality way.

    If they can, they will…

    1. In my world FTTP includes FTTH. I assume when the Google network gets built, they'll be taking fiber to more than just homes, i.e. businesses, schools, hospitals, etc., hence fiber-to-the-premises. A home is a premises.

      Then again my world's been known to be different than everyone elses before.
      🙂

  3. Readers should be aware that the broadband tiers and prices listed are provided by city/community-owned companies. Nice to know that that government is competing against private enterprise.

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