[tpg]

I think the point of Google Fiber is to give Google a lever on big telcos. They have a credible capability to come in to just about any area and totally disrupt the ISP / cable TV market there.

Right now, all those ISPs are directly in between Google and their users. In any discussion about net neutrality, this gives Google a powerful and highly visible next-best alternative to a negotiated outcome.

Due to Google Fiber being available as a threat, Google will never have to pay net neutrality fees like Netflix does, because they can simply come in to an area and cause a huge amount of pain for the incumbent ISP that threatened them. Even just publicly discussing moving in to an area causes significant expenses for existing ISPs.