A thousand messages ago this thread mentioned Google IO.
1-2005
http://news.cnet.com/Google-wants-dark-fiber/2100-1034_3-5537392.html
"Google is looking for Strategic Negotiator candidates with experience in...(i)dentification, selection, and negotiation of dark fiber contracts both in metropolitan areas and over long distances as part of development of a global backbone network," the posting reads in part. "Dark fiber" refers to fiber-optic cable that's already been laid, but is not yet in use. Thousands of miles of dark fiber are available in the United States, but there have been few takers because of the high costs of making it operational."
6-2006
http://digg.com/news/story/Google_s_Continuing_Dark_Fiber_Mystery
"eweek.com — Analysts say Google may be spending more than $1 billion on infrastructure projects, including purchases of a "dark fiber" backbone. The reason for the purchases is a riddle to the industry, but one Internet consultant recently offered a new answer to the puzzle. Jun 23, 2006"
5-2007
http://www.voip-news.com/feature/google-dark-fiber-050707/
"Google head of special initiatives Eric Sacca has said the fiber helps Google avoid long-haul transport costs for traffic that needs to get to, say, peering points that connect to the AT&T network. Google also uses formerly dark fiber to interconnect its massive data centers and perform mundane tasks like replicating its search index to Google sites worldwide. One Google observer who has also worked with the company thinks the Official Story is also the most likely, since Google historically tries to build and operate its own, self-contained infrastructure."
2-2008
http://gigaom.com/2008/02/25/googlenet-update-google-buys-a-piece-of-transpacific-cable/
"Google is buying a piece of a new transpacific fiber optic cable, according to research firm TeleGeography. This will be yet another piece of what can be loosely described as GoogleNet, a fiber network built and leased by the search engine and advertising giant to meet its ever-growing bandwidth requirements. Google is one of the six investors in the “Unity” undersea cable that will connect the U.S. and Japan. The new cable is going to be built by Tyco Telecommunications and NEC for about $300 million. "
12-2010
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/google/google-buys-old-port-authority-nyc-fiber-hub-for-19-billion/2705
"Google has actually been the largest tenant at the the old Port Authority building on 111 Eighth Avenue on the city’s West Side for some time now (they began leasing space in 2006), but closed a deal Wednesday to purchase the 3 million square foot building. While the $1.9 billion purchase price is hardly a steal, Google is most likely more interested in the fiber sitting under the building as it is in the real estate."
6-2012
http://www.slashgear.com/google-grabs-beam-forming-wireless-efficiency-patents-18234356/
"Google grabs beam-forming wireless efficiency patents
Google has snapped up a bundled of wireless efficiency patents from Magnolia Broadband, covering network capacity maximization, battery frugality technology and more. The beam-forming Mobile Transmit Diversity (MTD) patents are used in Magnolia Broadband’s MTD software, which will remain on sale to vendors and chipset specialists; however, Google will take control of the patents covering the technology itself."
This is way beyond "MVNO". This is Telecom 3.0 VoIP and data. I think they should be smart and do a deal with Apple for the end user hardware. Apple is network agnostic.
Rocketman
