1. A representative of Google presented plans for Google Fiber at a City of Santa Clara meeting that Ken Pyle (Viodi View) and I attended on December 16, 2015.  

Ken wrote: “Google appears to be considering the city of Santa Clara (population 120,000) as one big fiber hood. This is significant, as Google’s initial builds were done by popularity (e.g. they would go to those areas where they got enough sign-ups). Their fiber hood strategy was controversial in some circles, as it harkened back to the early cable days of so-called redlining where operators would avoid building in parts of cities that were not economically viable.”

 Google is working closely with the Santa Clara’s municipal electric provider, Silicon Valley Power, which is owned by the City of Santa Clara, for equipment space and rights-of-way. That Silicon Valley Power is especially supportive to this project indicates that they see the fiber project being a service to their customers and a complement to their municipal fiber and WiFi network.

Google indicates it will be a 36 month buildout cycle after they start the project. Google would not commit to a start date to either Santa Clara or San Jose, CA. The decision on when to start seems like a business decision, as from a permitting and local regulatory approval standpoint, it appears that Google should be able to start construction as early as Q1 2016.

Read more at: http://viodi.com/2015/12/21/google-spurring-ftth-deployment-in-the-former-valley-of-the-hearts-delight/

Pic of Santa Clara Study Session on Google Fiber:

http://i2.wp.com/viodi.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/20151215_170246-e1450805402461.jpg

2.  AT&T is one of multiple Internet service providers (ISPs) that have responded to Los Angeles’ request for proposal to build CityLinkLA. The five-year plan is aimed at providing access to residents who lack broadband service. A city spokesman says other municipalities have inquired about the project, which will connect residents to educational and other local resources. 

Both wired and satellite telecommunication carriers were eligible to offer bids, according to the request for participants, which closed last month. The solicitation said the city will provide the selected vendor low-cost land and office space, expedite the application process for major project components, and offer access to existing networks, like the city’s SmartPoles, under a long-term lease. 

AT&T submitted a proposal for CityLinkLA, which, if selected, it hopes to tie into its existing collaboration with the city, Kathryn Ijams, a spokeswoman for AT&T in California, wrote in an email.

“AT&T understands the City’s vision for a more connected Los Angeles and is excited about the opportunity to make the CityLinkLA project a success,” Ijams wrote. “We look forward to discussions with the City to determine how AT&T’s investments can help support the City’s goal of delivering advanced communications to where Angelenos live, work, and play indoors and outdoors.”

The city did not give details about how Google Fiber or AT&T’s Gigabit project may fit into the initiative. But in a release, Blumenfield said private sector efforts would complement CityLinkLA.

“Access to high-speed Internet is essential to the City’s future economic competitiveness, and will drive Los Angeles’ entertainment, tech, and entrepreneurial activity,” he said. “We welcome AT&T GigaPower and Google Fiber to Los Angeles, and look forward to continuing to push Los Angeles to become the world’s premier gigabit city.”

Read more at: http://statescoop.com/la-seeks-broadband-access-incomes/#sthash.B57y4geu.dpuf