Abstract This study examines possible lessons learned from the deployment of residential Gigabit networks based upon the novel approach taken by the Google Fiber project started in 2010. Even though Google Fiber paused any project expansion in 2016, calling into question the viability of their business model, the approach taken by Google Fiber elicits further research interest given four major innovations that this analysis identifies in its fiber-to-the-home business model. Based on a “top-down” financial model to estimate the costs of fiber deployment, this analysis shows that these four innovations pursued by Google Fiber, and now adopted on a widespread basis by other broadband providers, lower the costs of building residential Gigabit networks, and therefore can improve the prospects for new entry of service providers of residential broadband services. With technology advances pointing to further cost reductions in the cost of Gigabit networks, this analysis elevates the need for more detailed study of ongoing changes in the cost structure of local access networks to better anticipate future prospects for broadband competition.

中文翻译：

---

审视千兆宽带的前景：从谷歌光纤中吸取的教训

摘要 本研究基于 2010 年开始的 Google Fiber 项目采用的新方法，研究了从部署住宅千兆网络中可能获得的经验教训。 尽管 Google Fiber 在 2016 年暂停了任何项目扩展，质疑其商业模式的可行性，鉴于该分析在其光纤到户商业模式中确定的四项主要创新，Google Fiber 采用的方法引起了进一步的研究兴趣。基于“自上而下”的财务模型来估算光纤部署的成本，该分析表明，谷歌光纤所追求的这四项创新，现已被其他宽带提供商广泛采用，降低了建设住宅千兆网络的成本, 因此可以改善住宅宽带服务服务提供商的新进入前景。随着技术进步表明千兆网络成本的进一步降低，该分析提出了对本地接入网络成本结构的持续变化进行更详细研究的需求，以更好地预测宽带竞争的未来前景。