Google Fiber laying off 9% of staff, “pauses” fiber plans in 10 cities

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Source: Ars Technica

Google Fiber is laying off about nine percent of its staff as well as "pausing" or ending fiber operations in 10 cities where it hadn't yet fully committed to building.

Google Fiber chief Craig Barratt will step down from his post and remain only as an adviser. He won't be replaced immediately. This is not the end of Google Fiber, however: the Alphabet-owned ISP already offers fiber Internet service in eight metro areas and is still committed to building in another four. Google Fiber also recently purchased a wireless ISP called Webpass, which offers high-speed wireless Internet in six metro areas and seems set on expanding wireless service going forward.

Barratt revealed most of the news in a blog post that Google Fiber published with the title "Advancing our amazing bet." The post doesn't specify the number of layoffs, but a source familiar with the company's plans confirmed that it will be nine percent of the Alphabet "Access" division that operates Google Fiber. The source did not say exactly how many employees that percentage represents.

In August, a report by The Information claimed that Alphabet CEO Larry Page ordered Barratt to halve the size of the Google Fiber team to 500 people. Google Fiber never confirmed or denied that report, but it's now clear that the layoffs are not as extensive as initially reported.

Read more: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/10/google-fiber-laying-off-9-of-staff-will-pause-plans-for-10-cities/

[TonyPDX]

1. Perhaps it's an idea whose time has not yet come.

[metroins]

2. 5G wireless is being designed

1GB speeds wirelessly hurts Google fibers long term goals.

GF is being installed in my neighborhood right now.

[zonkers]

3. I had google fiber for breakfast. It's the start of a good day.

[area51]

10. You're bad.

[onehandle]

4. Only the world's biggest ad spammer and data spy would push wired Internet on us. nt

[Lithos]

5. Given the slow rollout here in Austin

I'm not surprised... They were very aggressive in the timelines... We got our fiber over a year later.

The politics behind it and the physical demands are a tough nut to crack and very easy to under-estimate in planning.


L-

[DK504]

6. Competition, what competition?

Interesting they aren't "laying cable" ... sorry.... AT&T took time and money their service then bought Direct TV and stopped providing services that had been available and made it impossible to get competition. I have to stop and question any massive Corp. that 'stops' technology. I have to wait and see who gets bought out next.

[retrowire]

7. WHEW!

They're still coming to Raleigh, thank the lord.

I just moved outta Morrisville where they just freakin' went LIVE. Raleigh should be next!

[kyburbonkid]

8. Louisville is in!

Oh that is the best news I've heard in weeks. I've been waiting for Google to do a full commit and I can't wait to see the fast bunny hopping all over the city. If your not aware, Louisville has taken the lead in the effort to remove AT&T's monopoly over telephone pole wire attachments. It's the "One Touch Make Ready" (OTMR) ordinance that makes telephone pole attachment a fair deal to those that want to invest in aerial fiber routes. AT&T & now Comcast have sued the Louisville (and Nashville) to stop the OTMR ordinance basically so they can keep the pole space to themselves. Without OTMR, in Nashville, Google needed 44,000 telephone poles made ready. After a full year, only 32 poles where actually physically made ready by AT&T and TW/Comcast.

AT&T/TW-Comcast. They are the ones stifling faster internet.

[Massacure]

9. I'm guessing that this is probably related to Google's recent aquisition of WebPass

Google recently purchased a company called WebPass which offered wireless internet at speeds ranging from 100 megabits to one gigabit per second in six large metropolitan cities. I suspect that they view expanding that as an easier proposition than laying down fiber optic cable.