Google begins connecting customers to its Stanford FTTP network

Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) is finally bringing on the first customers to its much talked about Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) network on the Stanford University campus.

Jenna Wandres, a Google spokeswoman, told Palo Alto Patch that it "plans to offer Internet via dedicated fiber connections to approximately 850 homes and condominiums on campus."

Stanford University was chosen as a test bed to get a better understanding on the best practices of running an open access FTTP network that it can take to larger cities such as Kansas City, Mo. and Kansas City, Ks.

The Stanford network will be run by area competitive ISP Sonic.net, which is in the process of building out its own FTTP network to also deliver 1 Gbps services to its customers.

To get the new FTTP service, Stanford University residents will have to shell out $249 if they want a technician to install the service or $49 if a subscriber chooses to install it themselves.

Overall, Stanford resident's reaction to the network build out has been positive, but Stanford resident Kati Andreasson is, not surprisingly, worried about the price of the service.

"It's really fast, but I don't know what it is going to cost after a year, so we'll have to see," she said.

For more:
- Palo Alto Patch has this article

Related articles:
Google's FTTP networks to power smart grid applications
Google launches open access FTTH network trial
Google won't reveal any fiber communities until 2011
Google conducts FTTX network dress rehearsal at Stanford University