{"id":745412,"date":"2013-04-08T10:04:08","date_gmt":"2013-04-08T14:04:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gigaom.com\/?p=628381"},"modified":"2013-04-08T10:04:08","modified_gmt":"2013-04-08T14:04:08","slug":"a-quick-look-at-google-fiber-pricing-v-the-incumbents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.com\/index\/745412","title":{"rendered":"A quick look at Google Fiber pricing v. the incumbents"},"content":{"rendered":"

The news that Google Fiber is coming to Austin, Texas<\/a> has me all aflutter. But I’m the type of broadband-lovin’ fool who wants a gig for the sake of having a gig. What about those practical people out there wondering why they might sign up?<\/p>

Even if my earlier arguments about innovation<\/a> don’t convince you that Google Fiber could help change the broadband landscape, then here’s a chart that could help. For the practical people out there, just check out the pricing of Google Fiber today versus the pricing of the incumbent ISPs in Austin.<\/p>

How much broadband costs in Austin.<\/h2>

Service provider<\/th> Cost<\/th> <\/tr>
Google Fiber (gigabit broadband only)<\/th> $70 monthly<\/td> <\/tr>
Google Fiber (gigabit + TV)<\/th> $120 monthly<\/td> <\/tr>
Google Fiber (5 Mbps)<\/th> $300 install fee and $0 monthly<\/td> <\/tr>
AT&amp;T U-verse (24\/6 Mbps only)<\/th> $55 with $200 install fee<\/td> <\/tr>
AT&amp;T U-verse (24\/6 + TV)<\/th> $99 monthly with 1-year contract<\/td> <\/tr>
AT&amp;T U-verse (6Mbps)<\/th> $20 with $200 install fee<\/td> <\/tr>
Time Warner Cable (50\/5 Mbps package)<\/th> $79 monthly plus $20 install fee<\/td> <\/tr>
Time Warner Cable (50\/5 Mbps + TV)<\/th> $172 monthly with a $90 install fee<\/td> <\/tr>
Time Warner Lite (3\/1 Mbps)<\/th> $34 a month<\/td> <\/tr> <\/table>

Comparing pricing across telecommunications services is tough, so I assembled the highest speed internet package, the TV package that offered digital cable but none of the extra premium channels and a DVR package that provided whole home DVR as Google TV does. Time Warner Cable has a box and modem fee associated with its service. Google TV doesn’t have an equipment fee but it does have a different channel line up than the incumbents.<\/p>

Looking at this, Google Fiber would be more expensive than AT&T’s services until people started using more devices and requiring more capacity. However, AT&T has a cap of 250 GB per month, and despite what the salesman told me over the phone, I’m pretty sure that I do<\/em> need a 24 Mbps connection today to satisfy my family members. Still, on the eve of the Google Fiber announcement<\/a> I’m tempted to switch over to AT&T while I wait for the build out.<\/p>
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