Google launches Fiber Communities Web site - what about an actual fiber deployment?

[Commentary] Tell us if you haven't heard this one before. Google pledges to deploy a red-hot network technology but instead uses blog posts and regulatory hectoring to cause havoc for the service providers that ultimately must do the hard work to deploy real networks.

It's EXACTLY the playbook Google used in the 700 MHz spectrum auction, saying it was interested in purchasing the spectrum but instead using its participation as a platform for pushing for open access while ultimately buying and deploying nothing. Call us skeptical but its Fiber Communities effort feels like the same play. We're certainly not underestimating the community interest in fiber deployment. And would applaud any Google effort -- actual deployment, funds targeted, new approaches championed, etc. — to get a good number of those 1100 community applications actually deployed. Indeed, prove us wrong by deploying fiber at any reasonable scale and we'll own up to it happily.