* Scenarios for Google as a broadband access provider
We recently put our heads together and talked about the “what-if” outcomes on the issue of ‘Net neutrality. Today, we’ll offer one scenario that could put companies like Google into the broadband access business, with the opportunity for Google to provide both access and content.
Step 1: Moving away from a third-party hosted data center supplier for the many servers that create the Google application, Google decides to build its own data centers across the world, thereby creating a more cost-efficient server network.
Step 2: Google builds its own fiber backbone network to connect its internal data centers, buying wholesale dark fiber along routes just like any other carrier-sized network.
Step 3: Google contracts for peering points directly onto the Internet backbone, connecting its fiber backbone to the peering points.
Step 4: Google writes software and provides a software client for Internet access, providing secure VPN features and an Internet portal client that is vendor neutral. The software includes a “talk for free” voice feature for peer-to-peer clients.
Step 5: Google provides a “for-free” Wi-Fi network to a metropolitan city, offering free broadband access through its fiber network core to Internet peering points.
Step 6: Google and its competitors, such as Yahoo and other content providers find that ‘Net neutrality will not be protected by federal legislation.
Step 7: Wireline broadband access providers require Google, Yahoo and other content providers to pay a small transaction fee for “fast access” to the content providers’ core network.
Step 8: Google discovers that offering either free or low-cost broadband Internet access can mitigate the transaction fees required from wireline access providers. Following a successful technology test and market trial with its first free metro-area Wi-Fi broadband access network, Google offers a similar deal to 100 other metropolitan areas.
Step 9: To increase its Internet traffic, Google offers ‘Net neutrality access to any and all content or applications providers that accept the Google portal as a first-screen user interface.
Step 10: Google offers off-net “domestic voice for free” and other value added network services to all of its network subscribers.
Disclaimer: We believe our scenario is plausible, although anything beyond Step 5 is speculation and not based on any public statements by Google or other companies.
We’d like to hear what you think. Is this scenario probable or unlikely?
Next time: Unified communications platforms.
