Monday, September 13, 2010

Google TV meets Google Fiber and YouTube Live

This is an update to the series of posts on Google Fiber, which ended up focusing on two key characteristics of several NGA networks:
  • 1 Gb/s. The 100 Mb/s bar is gradually being left behind (Docsis 3 doing 120, Comcast 105, Bell Aliant 170) and there are several 1 Gb/s services around now. Most recently, it was launched by EPB Fiber Optics of Chattanooga (Tennessee). It comes at 350 $/mo. Other 1 Gb/s service news relates to Costa Rica and Hong Kong.
  • Open access. Wholesale-only business models are springing up rapidly. LightSquared (US) and CenterNet/Mobyland (Poland) are planning LTE networks, Allied Fiber is into fiber backhaul, the Australian NBN is making progress, so is the New Zealand UFB network, while eircom is planning trials and Covage is rolling out in France.
In the meantime, Google is trialing Live on YouTube (live streaming), while ever more details are made public on Google TV. Google TV is to launch in the Fall, Google Fiber will be decided (perhaps with a shortlist as an intermediate step) by year-end. It is therefore supporting to see 1 Gb/s and open access proliferate, while YouTube is expanding its options:
  • YouTube Leanback is an optimised version for Google TV.
  • YouTube.com/movies will offer movies.
  • YouTube HD was launched some time ago.

This is our 1,000th post, which coincides nicely with all the 1,000 Mb/s news.