[Merged] Will Google Fiber ever come to Canada?

[supermetroid]

http://fiber.google.com/about/

1GB UP and Down
No Caps
$70/month

[1337rice]

Never.

[Ascott]

Eventually, assuming it takes off in the test communities. But that's just it, it hasn't even deployed in the test communities so it's a long, long way off. I can't see Calgary/GTA/Vancouver not getting it somewhere down the line.

[enhanced]

Way too much red tape involved.

If ever, it will be decades.

[ichpen]

Google doesn't care about Canada lads...

Cool package pricing thought. They're even offering FREE internet if the customer ponies up $300 one time construction fee. Admittedly not gigabit internet but still.

[Menace]

not if Robbers and BHell are around.

[xalex0]

When Canada gets annexed to the US.

[scoobydoo]

It's interesting when people talk about alien technology, they don't even realize it is. I guess no one really cares that humans didn't create fiber optics.

[Mark77]

Telus, Bell, Bell Aliant, and SaskTel all have active FTTP programs.

Google's product would therefore be redundant.

[JAC]

Telus, Bell, Bell Aliant, and SaskTel all have active FTTP programs.
Google's product would therefore be redundant.

Translation: Google's product would be far superior to anything a Canadian telecom could provide, and is therefore to be feared and blocked with protectionist legislation.

Anyhow, the cost of suburban fibre is too prohibitive. I rather doubt we'll see anything other than FTTN except in high-density areas and apartment buildings.

[FunSave22]

Telus, Bell, Bell Aliant, and SaskTel all have active FTTP programs.

Google's product would therefore be redundant.
Bell Aliant offers 70 Mb up and 30 Mb down for $100/month.

Google offers 1Gb up and 1Gb down for $70/month.

Yeah, it's completely redundant. :rolleyes:



Anyway, to answer the OP, if google were to start offering it in Canada it's likely a long way off. They would likely focus on much of the US market before even considering Canada.

[beuh_dave]

Probably right after Google launches Google Voice to Canada, lol = never

[Dwight10]

No, I think Google fiber will never come to Canada.

[thinfilms]

Not for a verrrrrrrrry long time.

[ShadowVlican]

Canada is pretty much irrelevant...

[ichpen]

Translation: Google's product would be far superior to anything a Canadian telecom could provide, and is therefore to be feared and blocked with protectionist legislation.

Anyhow, the cost of suburban fibre is too prohibitive. I rather doubt we'll see anything other than FTTN except in high-density areas and apartment buildings.

True enough. Plus if you've been following Google's product offerings in general you'll see most are not even planned for Canada. Things like wallet, voice, music are not likely to ever set foot here. Numbers and red tape doesn't put us in their sights.

[viss]

I don't think it'll come...and if it does, it'll be a long time with a LOAD of restrictions.

I'm still wondering when Square will hit Canada......sigh. When will Canada ever catch up....?

[tomjose]

I say all of us do a Group Move Deal and move to the states :P

[wilsonlam97]

I say all of us do a Group Move Deal and move to the states :P

At least we'll do it in RFD fashion :lol:

Yeah Google Fiber will never come to Canada.

[djemzine]

This is why I don't like Canada again. Yes I've mentioned it many times but tis true. Grr...

[wilsonlam97]

This is why I don't like Canada again. Yes I've mentioned it many times but tis true. Grr...

This is a great example as to why bell/telus/rogers/shaw/videotron is what makes this country horrible at times.

[xXxTehxXx]

As Bieber once said: "Never say never"

Yeah, I just quoted Bieber...

[wilsonlam97]

As Bieber once said: "Never say never"

Yeah, I just quoted Bieber...

No.

[Mark77]

Anyhow, the cost of suburban fibre is too prohibitive. I rather doubt we'll see anything other than FTTN except in high-density areas and apartment buildings.

Ummm, the fibre is already strung to the cabinets that are on every block or two. The tender is out for actual FTTP in my low-density neighbourhood next year. As far as cost -- just like everything else, it can be financed as it is a long-term investment. The Australian experience is around $6000-$7000 per household -- which, on a 30-year payment plan @ 6%, isn't even $50/month.

[xalex0]

This is a great example as to why bell/telus/rogers/shaw/videotron is what makes this country horrible at times.To be fair, it will be an experimental setup that's only available in Kansas City, and that's after a year in best case.

[Aero]

Telus, Bell, Bell Aliant, and SaskTel all have active FTTP programs.

Google's product would therefore be redundant.

Redundant? Isn't that called competition?

[TheRed]

wow google fiber sounds awesome...this is how Apple should be with Cell networks. Let Google conquer TV and Internet, and Apple cell networks. In yer face old media corporations :P

[djemzine]

This is a great example as to why bell/telus/rogers/shaw/videotron is what makes this country horrible at times.

Yup and the CRTC :)

[ichpen]

To be fair, it will be an experimental setup that's only available in Kansas City, and that's after a year in best case.

If you believe the literature they're polling for guest cities depending on how many folks show interest then they state no later than mid-2013 for the new batch of cities. KC is already up and running with the google veins in part.

[xalex0]

KC is already up and running with the google veins.It's great and all, but this means little to the end users.

[wilsonlam97]

wow google fiber sounds awesome...this is how Apple should be with Cell networks. Let Google conquer TV and Internet, and Apple cell networks. In yer face old media corporations :P

APPLE CELL NETWORKS? NO. It would be ridiculously overpriced with no hidden fees and customer support will be mediocre/above average. Also the towers will have a minimalist design and will be in the shape of a giant sandwich which cuts out every time there is a bit of wind.

[wilsonlam97]

Yup and the CRTC :)

Oh they're evil/corrupt.

[infamouskid]

they can't.
google is not canadian owned.
and the way shiet is now telecom cannot be in control for foreign entities.

[JAC]

Ummm, the fibre is already strung to the cabinets that are on every block or two. The tender is out for actual FTTP in my low-density neighbourhood next year. As far as cost -- just like everything else, it can be financed as it is a long-term investment. The Australian experience is around $6000-$7000 per household -- which, on a 30-year payment plan @ 6%, isn't even $50/month.

Didn't you just say the Telecoms weren't making any sort of significant investment in terrestrial infrastructure because of flat revenues in the segment? (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/crtc-ruling-suggests-more-choice-tv-bundles-get-ready-screw-1205271/2/#post15078617) Which is it?

[wilsonlam97]

they can't.
google is not canadian owned.
and the way shiet is now telecom cannot be in control for foreign entities.

There is a possibility that wind will start a ISP. Technically they have by providing DSL with yak but they may go about installing fiber.

Just a thought. I read about it a year or two ago when wind launched. It was on hofo.

[Mark77]

Didn't you just say the Telecoms weren't making any sort of significant investment in terrestrial infrastructure because of flat revenues in the segment? (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/crtc-ruling-suggests-more-choice-tv-bundles-get-ready-screw-1205271/2/#post15078617) Which is it?

At the moment, its very slow, and certainly confined to areas for which there is a high probability of a very high rate of uptake. In other words, well off neighbourhoods that have lots of people who won't blink at paying top dollar for a triple play service. And of course, as another poster stated, the condo developments, new build stuff, etc.

[will888]

Lol, google voice is not even operational here. Definitely not going to happen ever.

[infamouskid]

There is a possibility that wind will start a ISP. Technically they have by providing DSL with yak but they may go about installing fiber.

Just a thought. I read about it a year or two ago when wind launched. It was on hofo.

this will not happen anytime soon.
the amount of time it takes to deploy and install fiber and not to mention the amount of licenses it will need will be a lot.

[Adrian Lankosz]

Maybe if big IF we post/show interest for say toronto we might get it here sooner. Just hoping but worth a try. Maybe even petition.


If you believe the literature they're polling for guest cities depending on how many folks show interest then they state no later than mid-2013 for the new batch of cities. KC is already up and running with the google veins in part.

[ijustgotadeal]

What we need is proper regulation, for example:

* Only allow ISP's to market minimum speeds
* Regulate up-time and minimum speed upgrades
* Disallow providers from owning content providers and break up already owned companies
* Disallow bandwidth caps

[ilove]

Canada is a third-world country when it comes to IT developments like this.

[Forhad]

Google Fiber will never come to Canada.

[supkhoa1]

What we need is proper regulation, for example:

* Only allow ISP's to market minimum speeds
* Regulate up-time and minimum speed upgrades
* Disallow providers from owning content providers and break up already owned companies
* Disallow bandwidth caps

^ Those are good ideas but consumers should not get everything they want. As a consumer, I would love to have it all but as a business person, I would think it's ludicrous.

To everyone else. It will likely be that Google would not care so much about Canada. As many have stated, the density issue and cost/benefit business cases are tough to swallow. What I would love to say about Google Fiber is that they are pushing the Telecoms industry forward. By doing so, we Canadians will reap some of the benefits for sure. I feel like that the current model is outdated. What I mean by that is... right now, we are living in a state where we pay for distribution. Even though the industry have attempted to merge and it's no longer just one product (Phone, Internet, TV, Mobile) that is being offered, we are essentially still paying for individual distribution channels with this idea of bundle discounts.

Where I see the industry moving towards in the future is to leave the distribution pay model behind and go towards a content centric model. We are actually seeing this being more prevalent the last few years and it is only going to continue (ie. Bell buying CTVGlobeMedia and Astral). When will this happen? Not sure, but I believe this is where we will be going.

I feel like, if anything, Google's going to influence the Canadian incumbents to re-think their marketing strategy. Keep things simple, stop with the thousands of permutations of pricing plans. Even the relative young carriers (ie. Wind/Mobilicty) are suffering from pricing jail. Anyways, pricing models should be standard, and everything should be clear. I hope Google is successful in this space and show everyone that you should treat everyone fairly and the same.

[cartoonangel]

Not if the CRTC is still standing..

[ichpen]

Think about all the ads they can physically inject if they owned the infrastructure. :)

But some good points.. Time to move on.

[Mark77]

Think about all the ads they can physically inject if they owned the infrastructure. :)

But some good points.. Time to move on.



Yeah I'd rather that a company with a history of such disreputable conduct *not* own the infrastructure. Who knows what they'd do with analysis of stuff you send down the wires.

[JAC]

Yeah I'd rather that a company with a history of such disreputable conduct *not* own the infrastructure. Who knows what they'd do with analysis of stuff you send down the wires.

Yeah, stuff like deep packet inspection (http://www.deeppacketinspection.ca/isps/rogers-cable-communications-inc/), negative billing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Cable#Negative_option_billing), DNS highjacking (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Hi-Speed_Internet#Hijacking_failed_DNS_lookups), throttling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Hi-Speed_Internet#Throttling) and content injection (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Hi-Speed_Internet#Injection_of_content) are so much more trustworthy.

[Adevictus]

I would cry tears of joy if I was able to download with 125 megabyte speeds... Judging by how tight of a grip Canadian ISPs have on our balls, I highly doubt anything so cheap and convenient will find its way here.

[iownyou]

Google loves Canada! They even have a .ca domain!!

[calvintennant]

It seems as though google is rolling out Fibre based on individual neighbourhood demand, see here: http://fiber.google.com/cities/kck
If we can show Google that there is demand for this service in Canada, maybe they'll consider moving north of the border. I've started a petition to show them that we're interested: http://avaaz.org/en/petition/Bring_Google_FIbre_to_Canada

[manmanny]

http://fiber.google.com/about/

1GB UP and Down
No Caps
$70/month

No because of area and population. You forget even Bell can't provide faster speeds in Toronto itself. It take huge amount of money to upgrade the existing infrastructure. US is different story. They have population and they spend a lot. And they go down or crash quickly.

[wilsonlam97]

Data caps are a joke. Its just a money making tactic to screw customers.

The line is provided and maintained on the basis that customers pay their monthly fees but they are charged for using their lines even though its paid for?

Its like saying that since I use a laptop I should pay $100 in overages since I used it twice today instead of once which is my daily cap. Screw all major Canadian ISPs and the CRTC.

[wilsonlam97]

No because of area and population. You forget even Bell can't provide faster speeds in Toronto itself. It take huge amount of money to upgrade the existing infrastructure. US is different story. They have population and they spend a lot. And they go down or crash quickly.

The companies make it seem like fiber costs incredible amounts to install but that's not true. Most of the lines are just hanging on telephone poles and not underground (which would cost a lot more to install). They want your money but they don't want to provide you with service.

We should of had fttp or ftth this year. We're just technologically challenged thanks to our greedy "Canadian" corporations and corrupt CRTC. The right thing to do is to mandate a transparent business model for robellus. (What makes me mad is that telus is a product of the government!)

[Blackmajik]

I would cry tears of joy if I was able to download with 125 megabyte speeds... Judging by how tight of a grip Canadian ISPs have on our balls, I highly doubt anything so cheap and convenient will find its way here.

It will... maybe in 50 years, while other countries are doing 10 times that speed though.

[wilsonlam97]

It will... maybe in 50 years, while other countries are doing 10 times that speed though.

Thanks Canadian telecom monopoly!

Maybe when wind outs their lte network they could provide 10mbps internet and offer decent packages.

[kwanyeung20]

Thanks Canadian telecom monopoly!

Maybe when wind outs their lte network they could provide 10mbps internet and offer decent packages.
it's not monopoly, it's oligopoly. :(

[ChuJai]

i think the canadian market is still monopolized by bell/rogers. too much investment..... i think this is the first time i wish i lived in the states.

[opento]

ANYONE KNOW WHEN THIS SERVICE WILL BE AVAILABLE IN CANADA?

http://www.techspot.com/news/49546-google-launches-1gbps-fiber-network-in-kansas-city-unveils-tv-service.html

[djemzine]

ALREADY BEEN POSTED:

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/will-google-fiber-ever-come-canada-1207297/

[Mark77]

ANYONE KNOW WHEN THIS SERVICE WILL BE AVAILABLE IN CANADA?

http://www.techspot.com/news/49546-google-launches-1gbps-fiber-network-in-kansas-city-unveils-tv-service.html

GPON-based services initially offered typically at 400mbit/sec are in the process of being launched by Telus/Bell/SaskTel. Consumer uptake and the willingness to pay for premium tiers of service, of course, will determine their future expansion plans.

[BingoRingo]

This is what we know:

1- Google says it costs $300 to bring a fiber optics cable in your house. This is probably the cost of the cable from the pole to your house (probably between 30-100 feet).
2- Google can offer 1 Gbps up and down with no cap. Bell caps its highest plan (175/175) at 300 GB and it costs $203.95/month in Quebec Cité AND you still need to pay $50 for installation and $100 for "Modem rental fee".
3- Google is an American company and they cannot offer this service in Canada because of CRTC rules. I am not sure if they can launch a Canadian-owned company and subsidize that company to launch the service with their name on it though; if foreign investments are limited then we're really stupid in this country.
4- Google can offer you IPTV full HD, including multiroom, PVR, a free tablet/remote and all the channels for an extra $50/month.

5- Google will make enough profit selling you the service at $120/month to waive the $300 installation fee. We can assume that Google will therefore make more than $300 despite their low price and high offer.

6- Thus, Bell must make a TON of profit selling a much inferior product for much more money.

Conclusion: buy Bell stock.

What can we do? Check with your municipality if we could all pitch in and build our own fiber optics network that could be leased to a local cooperative owned by the residents.

When Google's service is up and running, I would LOVE to see how Time Warner will improve their packages and still make a ton of money.

[infamouskid]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uZVqPuq81c
homepage : http://fiber.google.com/plans/residential/

http://i50.tinypic.com/300tzjq.jpg

the low down...

Up to 1 gigabit upload & download speed symmetrical
No data caps
3 packages available
2 year contract on highest tier plan / no install fee
free nexus 7 tablet
free Storage Box / built into network hub
free TV Box / also an internet bridge
free Network Box / network hub
free 1TB Google Drive
Full TV Channel Lineup
Integrated webtv sources into UI
Schools, Libraries, Community Centers & Emergency and Medical Facilities will be wired free in subbed areas.

[DanRFD]

//Want this in Canada - Probably will end up moving to the US

[BobSagget]

Interesting article posted on the 19th on the Financial Post:
Google looking for Google Fiber engineers in Waterloo (http://business.financialpost.com/2013/02/19/google-looking-for-google-fiber-engineers-in-waterloo/)

[garyhudson]

1. This is Canada, who gives a damn, costs are high, market is small etc
2. Robbers and Bell(end) are here. They will do anything to block this.
3. Google Fibe is too good for Canada.
4. Nobody cares about Canada. It's not even an afterthought. 大事なことなので２回言いました。
5. This is Canada, you guys love being ripped off by Rogers and Bell (amongst many other companies, American or Canadian), why change?

Like Gordon Ramsay says, ***k me.

[wes101]

I would love it if in my live time it would get here but as others have said it would most likely never come here.