I’ll get right to the punch line:  head over to http://boulderfiber.com, follow the instructions, and nominate Boulder for Google’s Fiber for Communities project.  Do it today, as nominations close Friday, March 26th.  As to why that’s a punchline, read on.

Google project is quite interesting; they are looking for a community (or communities) of between 50,000 and 500,000 in which to build out a fiber optic network that will deliver 1 Gbps (50 to 100 times faster than your average DSL or cable connection) to every business and home.   Google is not getting into the Internet business; they believe that universal high-speed access is necessary to drive technology (and, of course, their business) forward.  They are looking to fund a research project to demonstrate that it can be done and to determine the best way to do it.

The issue with deploying high-speed Internet access to everyone is more about business models and politics than technology.  In most places high-speed access comes from the phone company or the cable company. In most cases, these are the only companies that have a legal right to run cables through the street.

The situation is called a natural monopoly.  This happens when the infrastructure required to deliver a service is so costly that it’s difficult or impossible for competitors to enter the market.  Competition might actually increase the cost of the service and may be a logistical nightmare.  Consider multiple water companies (a situation that existed in nineteenth century Britain).  Each company has to build out it’s own costly network of water mains, and passes that cost on to the consumer.  Since more companies there are the fewer customers for each to have, the cost per customer is higher.  Then there’s the logistical issue of have six water mains running down any given street.  In these cases, it’s simpler, easier, and possibly cheaper to limit the business to one company.

While it may make practical sense for there to be only one phone company and one cable company running wires, the end result is two companies with little competition trying to shoehorn a business outside of, or even in conflict with (consider Internet phone and video service), their core business.

The solution?  Set up a new company whose only business is providing high-speed Internet that can focus on building the right network to provide it.   Like the phone and cable companies, give them to right to run cable in the streets, and require that they bring it to everyone.  This does create a new near-monopoly, but given that Internet service is practically a utility, like water or electricity, it makes sense.   In addition, an Internet utility would actually increase competition for phone and television.  1 Gbps can easily carry high quality phone service and video on demand.

You may be wondering if wireless is a better option.   As the name says, wireless doesn’t require running wires.   Without that physical infrastructure there’s no natural monopoly and there’s room for competition.  However, (affordable) wireless broadband technology hasn’t arrived yet.  When it does, by its nature wired access will always be faster.  And since wireless bandwidth is shared, there are limits to how many people can use it reliably, as anyone who’s ever tried to use their iPhone in downtown Boulder during the business day can attest.  I hope that wireless competition will arrive, in the meantime if someone is willing to build out a high-speed wired network, we should take them up on it.

Sounds like a no-brainer, let Google’s deep pockets build out what would be the best Internet access in the country and propel Boulder’s already exploding tech community into the stratosphere.   Good for business, who will have better access to the customers.   Good for the economy, no question that world-class Internet access will create jobs.   And, good for individuals, who will see better access and more services.  There’s only one group it’s bad for, Internet Service providers like, us.

So, why am I promoting this?  Because I believe it’s the best thing for Boulder, and I believe it’s the best way to deliver Internet in general.  Having started the very first ISP some 20 years ago, I have a good sense of where the Internet has been and where I think it should go.  In the end, someone is going to own the wires, let’s make sure it’s someone who’s providing Internet access on an unrestricted network.  Not a phone or cable company with other agendas.  Yes, this will hurt my business, but we have and will continue to diversify, and in the long term we will be helped by a grown Boulder economy.

So, go to http://boulderfiber.com,  follow the instructions, and nominate Boulder.   Not in Boulder?  Longmont and Fort Collins have initiatives  as well and you can nominate other communities at http://www.google.com/appserve/fiberrfi.

Nominate today, the deadline is Friday, March 26th.