Google taps Sonic.net to operate its Stanford FTTH network

Although Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) has yet to name the lucky city that will be the recipient of its much-hyped Fiber to the Home (FTTH) network, it has now announced that competitive residential broadband provider Sonic.net will run its pilot FTTH network at Stanford University.

Sonic.net will run Google's Stanford FTTH network, which the Internet provider previously said will deliver up to 1 Gbps speeds to about 850 faculty and staff members' homes on campus. Not wanting to operate as a traditional service provider but rather a wholesale pipe provider, Google has tasked Sonic.net with not only managing network operations, but also providing customer service and support and installation and repair.

Google's Stanford trial network, however, is separate from its ongoing Fiber Communities project. With plans to select one community or communities by the end of the year, Google wants to build a FTTH network that will reach anywhere between 50,000 to 500,000 residential customers.

Obviously, the benefit to Sonic.net is twofold. Not only will they gain instant recognition on a high profile network build, but also experience in operating a fiber network--something Sonic.net is also separately considering doing this year itself.

Construction on Google's Stanford FTTH network will begin early next year.

For more:
- see the release here

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