Google wants its very own Net
p2p news / p2pnet: It seems Google is lusting for its own personal and private global internet.
“Last month, Google placed job advertisements in America and the British national press for ‘Strategic Negotiator candidates with experience in…identification, selection, and negotiation of dark fibre contracts both in metropolitan areas and over long distances as part of development of a global backbone network’,” says the Times Online, going on:
“Dark fibre is the remnants of late 1990s internet boom where American web companies laid down fibre optic cables in preparation for high speed internet delivery. Following the downturn in the technology sector during the early 2000s, the installation process for many of these networks was left incomplete. This has resulted in a usable network of cables spread across the United States that have never been switched on. By purchasing the dark fibre, Google would in effect be able to acquire a ready made internet network that they could control.”
The story says Google already owns a large telecom interconnection facility in New York and it’s believed from there, “Google plans to link up and power the dark fibre system and turn it into a working internet network of its own.
“It was also reported in November that Google was buying shipping containers and building data centres within them, possibly with the aim of using them at significant nodes within the worldwide cable network.”
The Times continues with further interesting speculation about how Google plans to corral consumers.
It’s, “long been rumoured to be planning to launch a PC to retail for less than $100,” says the story. “The Google computers are likely to be low-grade machines that require a connection to Google to be able to perform functions such as word processing and spreadsheet manipulations. While using the computers, it is understood that consumers will be shown personalised advertising from the company’s AdWords network.”
And a, “leading content provider” who wanted to be anonymous said it was, “in discussions with Google to provide content for their alternative internet service, to be distributed through their Google Cube product. As far as I’m aware they have been conducting negotiations with a number of other players in our marketplace to provide quality content to their users.”
“Contacted by Times Online today, a spokesperson for Google denied that it had any such plans, before adding its customary rider: “It’s Google’s policy not to comment on speculation concerning products before they are launched,” says the Times.
If it manages this, forget DRM. It’ll have the ultimate in consumer control. And the really scary thing is: there’ll probably be millions of people who’ll sign up.
Move over, Bill.
Also See:
Times Online – Rumours mount over Google’s internet plan, February 3, 2006
February 3rd, 2006 at 11:44 pm
Google doesn’t want to create its own internet… because they know that would just turn out to be bland…
Google wants to provide free access to the current internet, through their service. ^_~
February 4th, 2006 at 1:41 pm
Actually i work for google and i can say that the reasons above are pure speculation and they are completely wrong, there is a good reason why dark net is being purchased but i cannpt say too much , just think VOIP!
February 4th, 2006 at 3:48 pm
I too work in a very senior department with google, and unforntunately, many people have things totally wrong. This story was leaked by others here at Google as a mask cover-story for something much larger…. if you think Bill Gates had issues with IE and various OS’s then think along lines of Linux/XP combined with own Web Browser and capable of running any XP/MAC/Linux based apps all on one OS then you migt be closer to the truth. The additional bandwitdth requirement does bear some truth though. Think about having 20mb bandwidth in your home as standard with the possiblities of having up 500mb then you might be closer.
February 7th, 2006 at 4:45 am
I too pretend to be a senior exec from Google… oh wait…
Granted, Google hasn’t been as malicious as Microsoft, or the Music Cartel, but the way other companies have behaved recently does cause people concern about Google. Microsoft, AOL, Yahoo, MGM… the list of major corporations that have done everything to force people to buy their worthless junk seems to go on forever.
In the modern age of companies (like the Music Cartel) spying and manipulating the public, I’m glad that it is Google (which is an almost neutral company in all of this) is doing it instead of Microsoft or the Music cartel.
As to the VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) comment… That is already available with the old internet. The purchasing of the dark fiber will only give Google the ability to control the internet. Whether they use it for good (to keep spying eyes, like Bush, out), or for bad… I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
On the other hand, $100 for a crappy tv/computer that contains adware doesn’t sound like a generous idea in my opinion. WebTV… seen it… it sucks. Almost every computer can access tv data now (hell my computer can even hold beer cans, light my cigars, and start my car’s engine heaters), so there is really no need to try to create another WebTV spinoff.