Who Can Save The Internet?

Vint Cerf  can.

It’s ironic that the man known as the “Father of the Internet” is now best-positioned to do what is needed to save it. To save it as a neutral medium, an end-to-end “network of networks.”

Cerf is currently “chief evangelist” at Google. He joined it from MCI, now part of Verizon. Mostly, he’s a spokesman, a Washington-based attender of cocktail parties, the old guy they trot out and hand plaques to when they want Capitol street cred. “Here’s the Father of the Internet. He works for us.”

But assuming net neutrality loses in the Senate,  Google faces a problem. The Bells are determined to cut it off at the knees, either demanding blackmail (they’ll call it “congestion fees” but it’s the same thing) or cutting deals with rivals (Yahoo) to slow access to Google services.

And many of the services Google is bringing on-stream need a fast, neutral net to work. Google Talk. Video search.

But there is a way out.

Dark fiber.

Google owns tons of dark fiber. This is fiber cable that’s underground and, on the whole, unlit. I have no doubt that Google uses some of it to connect its own operations, to save a few bucks.

I don’t know how much Google has, but I’m guessing it’s enough to connect every major market in the U.S., and (with a little investment) most of the minor ones. If I’m wrong, buying a company like Level 3 (quite affordable) solves the problem. (It also brings a big team in. Maybe even a stake in Level 3 would get the job done.)

What to do with it?

Offer connections via this fiber to the Internet backbone for anyone who wants them, at rock-bottom prices. Work with Intel and other vendors to deliver WiFi and WiMax gear that can reach these points with as much speed as possible.

Let a thousand ISPs bloom. Become the Costco of backhaul. And remember, the more traffic you're handling the more the Bells have to deal with you as an equal on peering as well.

Suddenly folks will find they have choices other than the Bell duopoly. Corporations, schools, and others who need backhaul will find a supplier offering rock-bottom prices. The Bells will also have competition in the core (they now own both AT&T and MCI) so they will be unable to raise prices there.

They will be beaten.

But for this to happen, Cerf needs to have the vision, the energy, and the budget to fight for it. He has to get Sergey and Larry on his side. He has to get it through the board. And he has to put together a technical team to get this job done.

It can be done. Someone has to do it. It’s low-margin, yes, but it will do more than anything to boost the entire US Internet sector, which needs boosting.

Please, Vint. Do it for the children.