A decade ago, Google set out to disrupt traditional ISPs by building and operating its own fiber network. That grand vision did not pan out, but Google Fiber today announced its first new city in four years with West Des Moines.
Google’s efforts in internet service have seen some of the first gigabit speeds provided courtesy of Google Fiber. Now, Webpass — the company’s other internet provider — is getting rebranded as “Google Fiber Webpass.”
Last year, Google Fiber announced that it’s no longer offering 100Mbps plans. This refocus on just gigabit internet is now seeing the ISP drop traditional Google Fiber TV service for new customer sign-ups.
Google Fiber still exists today in 18 cities and continues to sign-up new customers. The ISP is now simplifying its service by no longer offering a 100 Mbps plan and committing entirely to gigabit Google Fiber speeds.
Google Fiber purchased Webpass in 2016 given the latter ISP’s track record with point-to-point wireless and fast rollout. Since then, both companies have operated independently and in different cities. The two sister companies are now combining efforts with “Google Fiber Webpass” in Austin.
As Google Fiber is set to pull out of Louisville due to “fundamental network issues”, the cost to Alphabet is set to be somewhere around $4 million.
Google Fiber’s last network expansion occurred in 2017 to Huntsville, San Antonio, and Louisville. Alphabet’s Access division is now pulling out of the latter Kentucky city due to the massive undertaking required to solve a fundamental network issue that is not the “right business decision” for Google Fiber.
Google Fiber is a huge reason for the slow spread of gigabit speeds throughout the United States. However, a recent outage caused by a snowstorm caused Google Fiber internet service to be lacking for over two weeks for some customers.
Google Fiber set out to disrupt the ISP industry eight years ago, but has since scaled down its ambitions. Among other factors, physically deploying fiber served as a big obstacle to Google’s plans. The FCC is now set to approve a system that could increase high-speed broadband deployment across the United States.
In a very brief blog post, Alphabet announced that it has hired a new CEO to lead its telecommunications division, Access. Dinesh Jain was previously Chief Operating Officer at Time Warner Cable for over two years and now leads Google Fiber, among other efforts.
A few months before Google Fiber paused deployment at the end of 2016, it purchased point to point gigabit internet provider Webpass. Today, it surfaced that the acquisition is planning to pull out of its Boston market.
Last month, Google Fiber revealed that upcoming gigabit launches in Louisville and San Antonio would not offer a television service, instead suggesting YouTube TV. With Fiber launching in the Texas city today, Google announced a number of other changes, like only offering one plan and a promotional Nvidia Shield TV.
Google Fiber has been live in Nashville, Tennessee for a few years now, but today is seeing a much wider rollout to multiple neighborhoods. Additionally, the ISP is launching what it calls a “Community Bonus” referral program to collectively lower monthly bills.
Late last year, Google Fiber halted future deployment and in July lost its latest CEO after only five months. Despite this, the Alphabet division committed itself to continue service in existing areas and is still rolling out to cities that it previously announced. However, for two upcoming launches, Google Fiber will not offer a television service.
Google Fiber has lost its latest Chief Executive Officer after only a five month tenure. Hired in February, Gregory McCray was previously head of another telecommunications company before joining the Alphabet division.
First announced over a year ago, Google Fiber is now live in Huntsville, Alabama. Alphabet’s internet connectivity division was able to launch its service relatively quickly by taking advantage of the city’s new fiber network.
Following the pause in deployment to new cities and other smaller mishaps in recent months, Alphabet has reassigned two Access executives (via Bloomberg). These personnel moves of these executives are especially notable given their stature and experience in telecommunication.
Google Fiber is facing more setbacks as it canceled installation in Kansas City. The gigabit internet service is offering refunds to hundreds of customers who put down deposits in Fiber’s first market, with the Alphabet division reportedly being more careful in regards to rollout.
Alphabet has hired Gregory McCray to lead its Access unit, Bloomberg reports. Access, which is the subsidiary below Alphabet that works on various internet communication technology, also includes the Mountain View company’s struggling Google Fiber unit.
Toward the end of last year it was said that Google was putting expansion of its super-fast Fiber internet service on pause, but today it seems the expansion of the gigabit internet service has resumed. Following its launch in Charlotte almost exactly a year ago, Fiber is further expanding in North Carolina to Raleigh…
Google acquired Webpass — another longtime provider of gigabit internet — last year, and now Google has added six cities where you can get super-fast internet through the service to its Google Fiber map. You’ll now see the option to get Webpass for Boston, Chicago, Miami, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Diego…
While future Fiber deployment may be paused, Google has reiterated that it’s continuing service in existing cities. As a sign of that commitment, the Fiber TV app on Android and iOS is being updated with several new proactive feature.
Google Fiber has hit a major roadblock this afternoon with Access CEO Craig Barratt leaving his position and operations in “potential Fiber cities” being paused. The Alphabet division is currently refining its approach to making superfast Internet available in the US.