Frustration Mounts at Google Fiber's Slow Pace, Non-Answers You can add Salt Lake City residents to the growing list of would-be customers frustrated by the slow pace of Google Fiber's deployment. Locals in the city are frustrated by the sparse availability of the service more than two years after the project was first announced. The Deseret News notes that the company refuses to provide specific information on how many Salt Lake residents have service, in what order Salt Lake neighborhoods will be receiving service, or how long it will take to complete the work of establishing access to Google Fiber service citywide.

Frustration has mounted not only because of Google Fiber's slow pace, but because the company hasn't been particularly clear about the direction of the project after last fall's shock announcement. Last fall Google Fiber announced it would be putting a number of new fiber deployments on hold as executives -- rumored to be tired of the high cost and slow pace of fiber installs -- ponder a pivot to next-generation, ultra-fast wireless. While this shake up involved laying off the CEO and shuffling around some employees, the company has continued to insist that existing deployments -- like Salt Lake City and Kansas City -- would remain unaffected. But in Kansas City many customers have seen their installations cancelled in recent months. And in markets like Charlotte and Salt Lake City, many people just aren't sure if service will ever actually reach them. While some of this is due to the traditionally-slow pace of digging and installing fiber, in many of these markets there are clear signs that work has been intentionally slowed as Google ponders its wireless pivot. But Google Fiber has refused to acknowledge this, only fueling consumer annoyance. For its part, Google Fiber's response has been to issue a series of rosy press statements that profess continued dedication to the project, but don't really provide any meaningful answers. "We started Google Fiber to make the Internet better," Google Fiber said in a statement. "Our super fast service is currently available to subscribers in 9 metropolitan areas, with 3 more under construction or planned. Demand for Fiber speed continues to grow, as more consumers move toward over-the-top streaming and skinny TV offerings." The reticence of Google Fiber to provide more detail likely stems from the fact that Alphabet/Google executives aren't sure themselves what happens next. The company is conducting a large number of trials using a wide variety of technologies and spectrum, and pretty clearly wants to better understand what these wireless options can do -- before insisting them a lateral replacement for the traditional fiber many execs clearly are drifting away from. The reticence of Google Fiber to provide more detail likely stems from the fact that Alphabet/Google executiveswhat happens next. The company is conducting a large number of trials using a wide variety of technologies and spectrum, and pretty clearly wants to better understand what these wireless options can do -- before insisting them a lateral replacement for the traditional fiber many execs clearly are drifting away from.







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Most recommended from 46 comments



C0deZer0

Oc'D To Rhythm And Police

Premium Member

join:2001-10-03

Tempe, AZ 121.4 9.8

11 recommendations C0deZer0 Premium Member Google == textbook ADHD



It's like the whole company has ADD and can't keep it's focus on just about everything they pour themselves into doing. And that's just sad. I can't be the only one that sees this kind of behavior, as well as how updates for their core apps on Android, will just randomly break things and create unending agony for anyone that isn't on a Nexus phone or some similar.It's like the whole company has ADD and can't keep it's focus on just about everything they pour themselves into doing. And that's just sad.

michieru

Premium Member

join:2009-07-25

Denver, CO 8 recommendations michieru Premium Member Google, stop it. This egg can't continue on it's current path. You need a product/service to sell to continue investments even if it is wireless technology. The fact that you change your mind on a whim shows that the entire operation is being ran by a five year old. Either kill the project or shut up and deliver already. This kind of interaction reminds me of the gaming community who preorder games for years simply because developers keep pushing timelines back. It's the kickstarter model and we all know how that ends up. existenz

join:2014-02-12 1 edit 2 recommendations existenz Member Transition to wireless



»shawneemissionpost.com/2 ··· jc-61911



edit: Or entirely possible they are looking to sell. CenturyLink has been rumored as interested. In KC area they've been canceling some connections while opening up more signups in other areas. The number of cancellations are probably fairly small compared to rate of actual rollout. Is pretty clear they are holding out for fixed wireless in areas or specific homes that are too costly to do FTTH.edit: Or entirely possible they are looking to sell. CenturyLink has been rumored as interested.

Anon7c53f

@slcc.edu 2 recommendations Anon7c53f Anon Google Fiber SLC Speaking from a personal standpoint I live here in Salt Lake City. I do see trucks quite frequently with fiber rolls on them. I have also seen the permits the city has issued for the deployment that also include the blueprints of where the cabinets, etc. are going to go. The drawings are there, I mean we all know it takes time yes but it sure seems like its taking longer then it should. permits issued in December or November are finally seeing construction results. I also have my home and a relatives home in SLC that while the relatives home qualified for pre-signups that they would run the fiber when they were in the area for a $10.00 Deposit (which was fine) I have yet to see it. The only good thing that has come of this is its forcing Centurylink and Comcast to Compete on pricing and deals. I have CL 40/5 at one location and 1 gig down and gig up at the other. And yes I use it. The only gripe I really have with Centurylink is customer service and billing is worse then Comcast. And that says a lot considering I had Comcast back when it was AT&T@Home. I never dreading having to call Comcast but I genuinely dread having to call Centurylink for customer service. it is by far worse then Comcast.