Google Fiber

[Dob Hooligan]

I don’t think so. They still use the Death Star logo. There is a lot of pride within the old Southwestern Bell roots and they want to show how they gobbled up the old Bell System.
WMBTOPCITBWNTNALI.

[stile99]

The entire point of Southwestern Bell buying the AT&T name was for the name. They're definitely not ever going to do anything to distance themselves from that.

[Plutonic Panda]

It looks like Google is giving Fiber another push. I wonder if they’ll still come to OKC.

https://www.engadget.com/google-fibe...170026013.html

[citywokchinesefood]

It looks like Google is giving Fiber another push. I wonder if they’ll still come to OKC.

https://www.engadget.com/google-fibe...170026013.html

If I could tell Cox to go **** themselves and pay someone else I would be so happy.

[king183]

It looks like Google is giving Fiber another push. I wonder if they’ll still come to OKC.

https://www.engadget.com/google-fibe...170026013.html

That’s not what the article says. This is GF increasing speeds in their existing markets. Their current expansion plans are extremely modest and they do not include OKC. I’ll believe expansion to OKC is a possibility when I see them successfully expand in smaller metros because they have a long history of not knowing what they are doing when it comes to creating and maintaining the city relations necessary to be successful. I will also wait to believe it’s a possibility when I see a change in attitude and culture with much of the current GF leadership. They wanted to withdraw from OKC almost from the moment they announced expansion in 2015 and there were constant internal battles to keep the expansion plans in place, until the anti-OKC crowd was handed a gift in the form of a national “strategic pause.”

[chssooner]

That’s not what the article says. This is GF increasing speeds in their existing markets. Their current expansion plans are extremely modest and they do not include OKC. I’ll believe expansion to OKC is a possibility when I see them successfully expand in smaller metros because they have a long history of not knowing what they are doing when it comes to creating and maintaining the city relations necessary to be successful. I will also wait to believe it’s a possibility when I see a change in attitude and culture with much of the current GF leadership. They wanted to withdraw from OKC almost from the moment they announced expansion in 2015 and there were constant internal battles to keep the expansion plans in place, until the anti-OKC crowd was handed a gift in the form of a national “strategic pause.”

What does West Des Moines offer that OKC does not?

I think Google Fiber would do fine here. AT&T Fiber is doing well.

[king183]

What does West Des Moines offer that OKC does not?

I think Google Fiber would do fine here. AT&T Fiber is doing well.

I don't know what they see in West Des Moines vs OKC; maybe one day GF will tell us. I could give an educated guess if I were familiar with WDM, but I'm not.

[Plutonic Panda]

That’s not what the article says. This is GF increasing speeds in their existing markets. Their current expansion plans are extremely modest and they do not include OKC. I’ll believe expansion to OKC is a possibility when I see them successfully expand in smaller metros because they have a long history of not knowing what they are doing when it comes to creating and maintaining the city relations necessary to be successful. I will also wait to believe it’s a possibility when I see a change in attitude and culture with much of the current GF leadership. They wanted to withdraw from OKC almost from the moment they announced expansion in 2015 and there were constant internal battles to keep the expansion plans in place, until the anti-OKC crowd was handed a gift in the form of a national “strategic pause.”

No but for awhile it almost seemed like Google was going to give up on Fiber. At least the way I interpreted it. I seen them recall bailing on some city they had already started physical work in(Louisville maybe?) and the future of Fiber even in cities like Kansas City seemed to be in question. Google has a bad track record of starting things and then abandoning them.

But maybe with this announcement of them increasing their speeds that means they are investing into their system and perhaps an expansion is in play. They already planned OKC in the past so it seems we’d have a good potential of being first into part of an expansion plan of theirs. That’s what I meant.

[Edmond Hausfrau]

I don't know what they see in West Des Moines vs OKC; maybe one day GF will tell us. I could give an educated guess if I were familiar with WDM, but I'm not.

Having lived briefly in Des Moines, WDM is richer than OKC per capita, and it's denser.

[SoonerDave]

If I could tell Cox to go **** themselves and pay someone else I would be so happy.

I live in the northern fringe of Cleveland County where OECFiber is building out. I have them within a mile in all directions *except* my neighborhood. They refuse to give any details about builout plans, and I swear I'd drop Cox like a hot rock for symmetric 1Gbps fiber. But zilch yet. So frustrating.

[Ginkasa]

I live in the northern fringe of Cleveland County where OECFiber is building out. I have them within a mile in all directions *except* my neighborhood. They refuse to give any details about builout plans, and I swear I'd drop Cox like a hot rock for symmetric 1Gbps fiber. But zilch yet. So frustrating.

We might have been neighbors before I moved! I spent years watching with bated breath for OEC to make it into my neighborhood with the same situation of it being all around but not actually where I lived. Then I moved and now I have AT&T Fiber which I've been happy with so far.

[FighttheGoodFight]

We got OEC fiber last year. I'll never go back to Cox. Nothing but issues when we did WFH for years.

I hope OEC, Dobson, ATT and even Google Fiber come into town. Cox needs competition or they will never improve.

[Martin]

i never had any serious issues with cox but switched as soon as oec was offered in my area. i've been really happy with it so far. for me, the dodgiest part with cox was dealing with their contractors. the installers for oec were lightyears more pleasant and professional than anybody from cox... though, admittedly, my sample size is low. i'm getting around 950Mbps real-world out of the 1Gbps advertised rate. my biggest reason for switching was the data caps that cox imposed a few years ago... it just rubbed me the wrong way that they decided to downgrade the service without reducing the bill.

what was frustrating for me was that oec built out my parents' neighborhood nearly a year before mine... and i don't think that oec provides electric services within a mile of any direction from them. i'd like to switch them over, but i'm not sure that they can cope with switching out their "@cox.net" email addresses.

[FighttheGoodFight]

i never had any serious issues with cox but switched as soon as oec was offered in my area. i've been really happy with it so far. for me, the dodgiest part with cox was dealing with their contractors. the installers for oec were lightyears more pleasant and professional than anybody from cox... though, admittedly, my sample size is low. i'm getting around 950Mbps real-world out of the 1Gbps advertised rate. my biggest reason for switching was the data caps that cox imposed a few years ago... it just rubbed me the wrong way that they decided to downgrade the service without reducing the bill.

what was frustrating for me was that oec built out my parents' neighborhood nearly a year before mine... and i don't think that oec provides electric services within a mile of any direction from them. i'd like to switch them over, but i'm not sure that they can cope with switching out their "@cox.net" email addresses.

Data caps should be illegal. It is clearly a way to make up for revenue now that people no longer want cable. Anti-consumer.

[scottk]

What does West Des Moines offer that OKC does not?

I think Google Fiber would do fine here. AT&T Fiber is doing well.

West Des Moines: 48 square miles
OKC: 620 square miles

Quicker to lay/install fiber in a footprint 1/12 the size of OKC. Also, West Des Moines may not have a fiber provider already.

ATT has been aggressive in OKC with laying/installing fiber in new home construction areas, and the price has been competitive. What would Google Fiber offer that ATT does not?

[baralheia]

West Des Moines: 48 square miles
OKC: 620 square miles

Quicker to lay/install fiber in a footprint 1/12 the size of OKC. Also, West Des Moines may not have a fiber provider already.

ATT has been aggressive in OKC with laying/installing fiber in new home construction areas, and the price has been competitive. What would Google Fiber offer that ATT does not?

Mainly cheaper service, useful extras, and less complicated network setup for advanced users like me. AT&T Fiber's current offer is $80/mo for 1Gbps service (if you turn on Autopay - otherwise it's $85/mo); Google Fiber is $70/mo for that same service. Google Fiber also includes 1TB of storage in Google Drive for free as part of the subscription; AT&T doesn't include anything comparable. As far as the network setup goes - AT&T Fiber does subscriber authentication via their "Residential Gateway" (RG) box - their glorified modem/router combo box - whereas Google Fiber does subscriber authentication at the ONT - the box on the wall that the fiber plugs into. Because of that, all AT&T Fiber customers are forced to use the RG, regardless of whether or not they want to run their own router. This is problematic because the RG that AT&T supplies is often unstable and has other built-in limitations - and it's one extra box that you have to supply power to. Google Fiber allows you to connect your own hardware directly to the ONT which simplifies things greatly for more advanced setups.

[SoonerDave]

Mainly cheaper service, useful extras, and less complicated network setup for advanced users like me. AT&T Fiber's current offer is $80/mo for 1Gbps service (if you turn on Autopay - otherwise it's $85/mo); Google Fiber is $70/mo for that same service. Google Fiber also includes 1TB of storage in Google Drive for free as part of the subscription; AT&T doesn't include anything comparable. As far as the network setup goes - AT&T Fiber does subscriber authentication via their "Residential Gateway" (RG) box - their glorified modem/router combo box - whereas Google Fiber does subscriber authentication at the ONT - the box on the wall that the fiber plugs into. Because of that, all AT&T Fiber customers are forced to use the RG, regardless of whether or not they want to run their own router. This is problematic because the RG that AT&T supplies is often unstable and has other built-in limitations - and it's one extra box that you have to supply power to. Google Fiber allows you to connect your own hardware directly to the ONT which simplifies things greatly for more advanced setups.

I hadn't had a fresh reason to dislike ATT in a long time. I knew they'd have a way to screw up fiber. #smh. C'mon, OEC, you're our only hope...

[chssooner]

I have AT&T Fiber, and have had NO issues, at all. I love it! I get a gig for $50 a month (new neighborhood special) and also won't have rate hikes for 5 years. So there is that.

[baralheia]

I hadn't had a fresh reason to dislike ATT in a long time. I knew they'd have a way to screw up fiber. #smh. C'mon, OEC, you're our only hope...

To be fair, I should say that the actual service itself from AT&T is fantastic, and I can't recommend it highly enough. I haven't had a single problem with it since having it installed several years ago - it's been rock solid and speedy the entire time, unlike my experience with Cox. In the absence of Google/OEC fiber, if AT&T Fiber is an option for you, I wouldn't hesitate to switch.

And to address my complaint with the RG - there IS a way to put the RG into what's called "IP Passthrough" mode in order to use your own networking gear - that's what I've done. There are limitations with this setup, but for the most part it does work well enough. My complaint though is that even with this configuration, there's still an extra box that I have to keep powered on and connected to my network solely because it authenticates me to AT&T. There are hacky ways to fully bypass the RG but *none* are supported by AT&T so I just kinda deal with the extra hardware. Honestly though this is only an issue for advanced users that want to use their own networking gear - the router/access point functionality is acceptable enough for most regular users.

[SoonerDave]

To be fair, I should say that the actual service itself from AT&T is fantastic, and I can't recommend it highly enough. I haven't had a single problem with it since having it installed several years ago - it's been rock solid and speedy the entire time, unlike my experience with Cox. In the absence of Google/OEC fiber, if AT&T Fiber is an option for you, I wouldn't hesitate to switch.

And to address my complaint with the RG - there IS a way to put the RG into what's called "IP Passthrough" mode in order to use your own networking gear - that's what I've done. There are limitations with this setup, but for the most part it does work well enough. My complaint though is that even with this configuration, there's still an extra box that I have to keep powered on and connected to my network solely because it authenticates me to AT&T. There are hacky ways to fully bypass the RG but *none* are supported by AT&T so I just kinda deal with the extra hardware. Honestly though this is only an issue for advanced users that want to use their own networking gear - the router/access point functionality is acceptable enough for most regular users.

I've had my own networking setup for years and I'd almost certainly want to maintain it. I even at one point maintained my own iptables Linux firewall by hand on a dedicated box, and in the rare occasion Cox might have to come out and look at my setup, they'd just say "what the heck is that?" LOL.

iVe got Cox 1Gbps downstream service but the 40Mbps upstream is brutal when I upload videos to my YT channels or for file pushes to a network server through my employer's VPN. So if all.else is equal, give me my symmetric gig pipe and let me hook it up. That's why I want OECFiber.

[Pete]

After starting off satisfied, I'm about ready to give up on T-Mobile cellular internet.

Most mornings the speed is so slow to be unusable. That's a big problem for someone like me that has business needs, especially in the AM.

[barrettd]

I've had my own networking setup for years and I'd almost certainly want to maintain it. I even at one point maintained my own iptables Linux firewall by hand on a dedicated box, and in the rare occasion Cox might have to come out and look at my setup, they'd just say "what the heck is that?" LOL.

iVe got Cox 1Gbps downstream service but the 40Mbps upstream is brutal when I upload videos to my YT channels or for file pushes to a network server through my employer's VPN. So if all.else is equal, give me my symmetric gig pipe and let me hook it up. That's why I want OECFiber.

I usually let the cable guy do whatever he needs to do to get it all set up, then he leaves and I take it all apart and reconfigure it with my hardware. My setup doesn't sound as complicated as yours might be though!

[Teo9969]

After starting off satisfied, I'm about ready to give up on T-Mobile cellular internet.

Most mornings the speed is so slow to be unusable. That's a big problem for someone like me that has business needs, especially in the AM.

It's truly an incredible phenomenon that internet can work so well at the start of every service and slowly decline to the point of frustration.

[fortpatches]

No but for awhile it almost seemed like Google was going to give up on Fiber. At least the way I interpreted it. I seen them recall bailing on some city they had already started physical work in(Louisville maybe?) and the future of Fiber even in cities like Kansas City seemed to be in question. Google has a bad track record of starting things and then abandoning them.

But maybe with this announcement of them increasing their speeds that means they are investing into their system and perhaps an expansion is in play. They already planned OKC in the past so it seems we’d have a good potential of being first into part of an expansion plan of theirs. That’s what I meant.

I think it was Louisville - but that was because of the failure of their "microtrenching" plan using even shallower trenches. They decided to bail when their network wasn't stable from the fiber failures.