This is true with many network rollouts in any metro area.  They bring in their own contractors. 

Whether they are local contractors or contractors brought in, technically they are still jobs in KCK having similar eco impact. Network build outs are just temp jobs anyway.

It the result of the network that could potentially bring jobs.

It costs an average of $110/foot to build a lateral. Is your friend's business the only tenant in the building? If not, he might be able to convince a couple of the other tenants to get together and approach the LEC or whomever with an offer to pick up multiple customers if they build the lateral.

Has Google said that it will build and operate a network in KCK? Or will it just resell service from other operators? Google was never clear about this when it announced the contest, but some of the cities and operators I spoke with back then said that they could envision Google just reselling FiOS or whatever service was already available in the market they choose.

For example, although Verizon's residential service currently maxes out at 50 Mbps in some markets, the fiber can support much more. Verizon did some trials in 2009 where they just swapped out the gear at both ends so they could deliver 10 Gbps over an existing FiOS connection. That flexibility is one of the benefits of PON. Whatever company already has the infrastructure in KCK, or is willing to build it, could just knock on Google's door and offer its network on a wholesale basis. Google also could make a big investment in that company, just as Microsoft invested $1 billion in Comcast in 1997 to fund that company's broadband buildout.

Unfortunately, the other tenants are satisfied with their network speed. 

Your friend might try whichever broadband wireless (microwave, not cellular) operator serves his area. Those guys make their bones in bringing T1 and higher services to sites where wired operators don't want to build a lateral.

You have to remember this is in Berkeley CA where everyone is afraid of radiation from wireless.  You need to wear aluminum foil on your head at all times.

As you might imagine, cell coverage sucks.

Towerstream has service in Berkeley. Not sure what speeds they offer in that particular market, but in other ones, they're selling up to 1.5 Gbps.

It's a little strange that Google said they'll have 'their' own employees come in.  I assume they mean a general fiber contractor, not specifically Google employees.  I wonder who will maintain the network long term if not having much of a local presence.

You'd think they'd contract the entire build/maintenance to someone like Surewest/Everest using Google's selection for Gbit equipment and on Google terms.  Surewest already does fiber to home in some KC areas, though not cheap.

BTW, I just checked and Surewest now has service in Plaza/Westport areas - sweet.  Hope they develop a relationship with Google and eventually upgrade the network to the same equipment G will use.  Getting it cheap might not be doable though.

That's a healthy markup considering 6 strand multi mode is going for about a buck a foot right now.

Right, but consider the cost of permits, materials, labor, etc. for tearing up an urban street.

I imagine he meant that in jest, but, yes, most of the cost is manpower and conduit/pole access (permits, user's fees)—or trenching, especially, when it's required.

That's clearly part of the reason Google picked KCK: free, no-hassle conduit and pole access from the city-owned utility.

No, I didn't. I imagine you could find a situation that merits 110 a foot, but in most cases that would be highway robbery.

Highway robbery or not, it's the average I got based on input from several vendors and operators. If it weren't that expensive, you'd see a lot more laterals.

It's a fairly reasonable ballpark price for small-scale bored or trenched installation in an urban area.  Urban bored installation is often put at $300,000-500,000 per mile ($57-94 per foot), and that's for long runs, where economies of scale moderate the price per unit length.

It doesn't much matter whether you're running twine or platinum braid.  That's not the expensive part.

I heard on the radio (while driving) that the 'new' thing is LTE on unused spectrum.  There is a possible conflict with GPS because it's too close to that spectrum.

It depends on the spectrum. Verizon, AT&T, et al are using bands where LTE interference to GPS isn't a problem. That's not the case with LightSquared, which wants to use LTE in spectrum where some folks think it could interfere with GPS and other services. We'll see what the courts and regulators say. There was a similar beef a decade or so ago regarding MMDS possibly interfering with satellite radio. No doubt some of this is just companies playing the interference card to fuck with their competitors.

It's not like it costs exactly $110 every foot...

There are a lot of fixed costs that get amortized over an installation.  Some have been mentioned like permits, labor, etc.  There are many more, especially in commercial buildings such as coring and refill on the building, the expensive electronics on either side of a connection to actually pass traffic, battery backups for cores systems, etc. etc.

The cost of the actual fiber is pretty minimal...

This event is the 'tipping point' where a small market city becomes an expensive small market city- invest in real estate now.