More tough times at Google Fiber as Alphabet Access (parent of Google Fiber) CEO Gregory McCray has stepped down after only five months on the job. McCray was hired after a short stint by Craig Barret. These leadership changes come during a somewhat tumultuous time at Google Fiber, as questions swirl regarding its future.
The first Google Fiber plans were announced with great fanfare over 7 years ago (hard to believe it’s been 7 years). Since then, speculation about Google Fiber plans have been wide ranging, from it being a simple experiment for Google to push and annoy the broader broadband industry, to Google Fiber becoming a national ISP powerhouse.
But recently, a clear Google Fiber retreat has occurred, with the company pulling back plans for expansion and experimenting with wireless delivery of broadband. With the departure of a second CEO in less than a year, you have to wonder what the future holds.
“We are committed to the success of Google Fiber,” Alphabet CEO Larry Page said in a statement. “Fiber has a great team and I’m confident we will find an amazing person to lead this important business.”
Realistically, what else could he say? Pretty standard PR speak in this type of situation. A report in Bloomberg suggests that McCray may have run into some ‘HR’ related issues, but there has been no official statement as to why he’s stepping down.
Just last month, McCray told the fiber broadband industry at the Fiber Connect conference that expansion for Google Fiber to additional cities was moving forward. He didn’t offer much more detail beyond that. But it looks like that expansion, if true, will be led by yet another new Google Fiber CEO.
