Intellectual Property Law

Palo Alto fiber

By Susan Crawford

So this is really interesting:  three businesses putting up $30 million to build out the Palo Alto fiber network.  They’ll operate it on a wholesale basis, collecting revenue for their coordination work, and they’ll get discounted use of it themselves.  The city doesn’t have to pay for any of this service, and in 25 years Palo Alto can buy the network for a dollar. It’ll use standard equipment, so there will be lots of choices of vendors.  Not to mention instant access to 100 Mbps connectivity.

And here’s what a city official has to say about this open-access network:

‘There’s a vision that you’re entering into the real 21st century with this kind of capacity,” said Joe Saccio, Palo Alto’s deputy director for administrative services. ‘It’s an economic tool and, hopefully, it can create new kinds of jobs and allow new applications and new software for consumers.’

That’s right:  economic development is the reason.  Story is here.

(HT: Frank Coluccio)

Full post as published by Susan Crawford Blog on October 30, 2008 (boomark / email).