Google pushes rivals to offer high-speed Internet service

Google's plan to at least temporarily suspend its fiber program and experiment with high-speed wireless internet delivery in Silicon Valley is the latest sign of how the search giant is playing a key role in jump-starting cheaper, faster service around the country.

Google has done that, in part, by pushing competitors like AT&T and Comcast to move faster in boosting internet speed. While Google may be coming out ahead in this clash of titans -- faster and more widespread internet service means more clicks on Google ads -- the clear winner is the public, as the best and most affordable internet service is delivered to more and more customers across the U.S., analysts said.

"It's a very big deal," said Blair Levin, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. "From a public policy perspective, this is a great game. We're doing more on the internet and because of this we'll be able to do it better and faster and cheaper." And that plays right into Google's advertising-based business model.