Google's Schmidt: Kansas City is just one stop on FTTH journey

Google's (Nasdaq: GOOG) FTTH network isn't just about Kansas City, Mo., company chairman Eric Schmidt proclaimed on Wednesday at the New York Times' Dealbook Conference.

Eric Schmidt, Google

Schmidt (Image source: Google)

Schmidt said that the company does not see the Google Fiber network in Kansas City as an experiment, but the seed of a much larger opportunity they could replicate in other markets.

"It's actually not an experiment; we're actually running it as a business," he said, noting that it has enticed a number of new startups with high bandwidth needs to locate their offices where the fiber has been installed with plans to bring it "hopefully more cities."

True to Google fashion, Schmidt would not say what other cities would be next to get the 1Gbps service.  

"We're trying to decide now," he said.

For customers that can get the service, it is helping enhance the Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) online video experience. The video provider said that Google Fiber topped its initial ranking of ISPs. It should be noted that Google averaged only 2.55 Mbps in its delivery of Netflix content in November.

Of course, there are plenty of naysayers attacking Google's plans already. Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC), one of its main competitors, questioned recently whether there's a need for a 1Gbps service and that if there was it would be able to provide it.

It's likely that a 1 Gbps service will be the foundation for potentially limitless bandwidth from which consumers and businesses could create or use applications and other innovations.

For more:
- Wired has this article

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