Marketwatch attempted to get details on Google’s 1 gigabit/sec fiber project, and found a few: Google’s fiber effort… is seen as highly-visible challenge to the traditional, proprietary model used by incumbents such as Verizon Communications Inc., Comcast Corp, and AT&T Inc., which generally build networks to carry their own services.

Google, on the other hand, is proposing an “open access” fiber network, theoretically available to other service providers. However, the company’s trial could benefit from past efforts in fiber made by the very incumbents that it’s implicitly criticizing, analysts say. ...

But the type and configuration of switches, routers and other gear to be used remain unclear, Owens allowed.

Google has previously eschewed purchasing computer servers for its data centers, in favor of its own, internally-designed hardware. It’s unclear whether the Internet giant would apply the same do-it-yourself approach to the equipment to be used for a fiber network.  ...

Analysts think Google will lay out an “active” fiber network, which relies on equipment strategically placed between a central office and homes. By contrast, traditional incumbents often deploy “passive” networks, requiring little more than fiber and splitters between an operator’s central office and the homes that it serves.

“Nobody needs gigabit service,” said [David St. John, a spokesman for the Fiber to the Home Council]. ...

Thanks to Michael Muller for call our attention to this article.