AT&T Mocks Google Fiber

AT&T Senior VP mocks Google Fiber. Stop me if you've heard this joke before:

Does the unfulfilled promise of an Internet Service Provider leave you searching for another option?
If so, don't be surprised. Making you search is what they do best.

Ha ha - get it? Google? Making you search!

Eric Boyer from AT&T does make a good point (although slightly veiled). Google Fiber did underestimate how difficult the actual building of fiber networks is in the real world. It is one of those areas where there is truly no substitute for experience.

Google Fiber

AT&T took some not so subtle shots at Google Fiber recently. This happening among rumors of Google Fiber downsizing it's personnel and moving to a more wireless-centric solution. Everyone seems to be asking what's up with Google Fiber? An interesting observation from the AT&T post:

February 2010: Google announces its intent to build ultra-high-speed fiber-fed broadband networks with plans to serve around five million subscribers in five years; 1100 cities respond to Google’s Request for Information in an effort to become a Google Fiber City.
Today: Google Fiber has deployed a fiber network in parts of seven out of the 1100 interested cities, but otherwise hits the pause button as Google Fiber learns something we’ve known for over a hundred years – deploying communications networks is hard and takes an enormous amount of time, money and skilled labor.

Emphasis added. There are a lot of risks and hurdles in building a fiber network. An interesting take-away for many municipalities looking to build their own FTTH projects. Don't underestimate the risks and costs involved in such projects!