GOOGLE FIBER IS hitting the pause button on the expansion of its fibre broadband network in the U.S., though installation will continue in cities where work has already started.
In a blog post Tuesday, CEO Craig Barratt said that the company will “pause” its operations and offices in those cities where it’s been in exploratory discussions, which will result in some job losses. He also said that he is stepping aside from the CEO role, though will continue in an advisory capacity.
“Now, just as any competitive business must, we have to continue not only to grow, but also stay ahead of the curve — pushing the boundaries of technology, business, and policy — to remain a leader in delivering superfast Internet”, reads the post. “We have refined our plan going forward to achieve these objectives. It entails us making changes to focus our business and product strategy. Importantly, the plan enhances our focus on new technology and deployment methods to make superfast Internet more abundant than it is today.”
First announced in 2010, the project aimed to bring ultrafast Internet access to cities with poor web infrastructure and limited competition between service providers.
