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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

Google Fiber is hitting the pause button [washingtonpost.com] on discussion with "potential fiber cities" [google.com], and will lay off about 9% of its approximately 1,500 employees [bloomberg.com]. Craig Barratt, the CEO of Alphabet's Access division, is also stepping down [usatoday.com].

After rolling out its Fiber product in about a dozen cities, Google is hitting pause [blogspot.com] on its project to deploy superfast Internet across the country. The news may come as a disappointment to those who were hoping the search giant would bring competition and faster speeds to their area.

[...] Even as Google Fiber pays lots of money to lay down cables and secure access to TV programming, a different type of technology is coming down the pike: wireless fiber [washingtonpost.com]. [...] There are signs that Google is moving in this direction, too. In June, it acquired Webpass, a provider of wireless broadband [webpass.net]. Other acquisitions support this theory [wired.com]. And in its announcement Tuesday, Google Fiber said it would be looking at "new technology and deployment methods to make superfast Internet more abundant than it is today." So even if Google Fiber is on hold in its current incarnation, changes in technology may someday reduce the costs Google faces today.

Comcast and AT&T are still trying to hinder Google Fiber access to utility poles in Nashville. Both ISPs have filed suit against the Metro Government of Nashville [arstechnica.com] for passing a "One Touch Make Ready" ordinance that benefits Google Fiber.

Previously: Google Fiber Gets Rid of "Free" Service in Kansas City [soylentnews.org]
Costly Google Fiber Service Being Scaled Back in Favor of Google Wireless [soylentnews.org]
Nashville Officials Approve Ordinance to Give Google Fiber Faster Access to Utility Poles [soylentnews.org]

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