Google Fiber is pulling back on its plans to offer its gigabit internet service to more cities, but it is not leaving the markets where it is operating or has committed to service.
In late October, Google parent company Alphabet announced it is laying off 9 percent of its Google Fiber staff and is “pausing for now in our work in eight cities where we’ve been in exploratory discussions,” said CFO Ruth Porat on the company’s Oct. 27 quarterly earnings call.
Google Fiber launched in Kansas City, Kansas, in 2011 and now operates or is under construction in 11 other cities across the country. Google Fiber is available to both single-family homes and apartment communities in its service areas.
In explaining why Google Fiber is pausing its expansion into eight cities it previously said it hoped to serve, Porat said the company plans “to better integrate some of our technology work that we’ve been developing.”
In June, Google Fiber acquired Webpass, a wireless service provider that offers high-speed internet to apartment communities in six cities curently. Offering wireless service means the company does not need to deal with the infrastructure issues and costs of laying fiber cable.
For a look at how two multifamily executives have experienced Google Fiber, check out this article from the October issue of Units magazine.