Google is becoming a major investor in fiber optics and other networking technologies, and in doing so is demonstrating the value of vertical integration in information technology. Google’s most well-known fiber initiative is Google Fiber, which launched its first project in Kansas City in 2012 and, according to the company, recently completed 7000 miles of fiber investment in Kansas and Missouri. Google Fiber focuses on the consumer market and offers high connection speeds, integrated Wi-Fi, content recording and storage, and devices. Since the initial launch in 2012, Google Fiber has gone live in Austin and Provo, announced launches in four more metro areas encompassing 18 cities, and revealed that it is exploring expansions into Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Antonio and San Jose.

Read “What Google Fiber is teaching us about vertical integration” on AEI.