Slashdot Mirror
Google Fiber To Acquire Gigabit Internet Provider Webpass (techcrunch.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Google Fiber has announced a deal to acquire high-speed internet service provider Webpass. Webpass is a 13-year-old company that provides high-speed internet, including gigabit service, for businesses and residential customers across parts of the U.S.. Webpass is most widely known in California, with service running in San Fransisco, Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley and San Diego. It also has service in Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Chicago, and Boston. The President of Webpass, Charles Barr, said in a blog post: "Joining Google Fiber will be a great development for our users because the companies share the same vision of the future and commitment to the customer," he said. "Google Fiber's resources will enable Webpass to grow faster and reach many more customers than we could as a standalone company." The acquisition should help Google Fiber with its plans to grow to more than 20 U.S. cities in the near future, helping connect to business and residential markets.
Not everyone lives in big cities. Those who live in Rural areas who need high speed internet (sometimes even more than city folks) are still left out because such areas are unprofitable.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Fuck Google.
... with forced binding arbitration clauses too?
U jelous?
Took a look at their home page https://webpass.net/residentia... Compared to Verizon or Comcast, it's heaven on earth. A flat $550 a year, no asterisks, no teaser rates, no setup charges, no equipment rentals, no bundled content nobody wants, and free installation. I can't even tell what I'd have to pay Verizon to get the same service but I know it's at least twice that.
I seem to remember that the point of Google launching this Fiber ISP was to introduce competition to stagnant markets and bring gigabit internet to markets that lacked it, with the ultimate goal of putting more people in a position to use their services. Or was that from when "Don't be evil" was still in effect? Acquisitions are anti-competitive and consolidation of the ISP industry is what is driving stagnation.
If you want a vision of the future, imagine a youtube comments section scrolling - forever.
I'm guessing this is the only way that they can get into their home turf.
Call me when Google acquires Comcast. FYI Webpass has 20,000 customers.
What drives stagnation is Verizon's decision to stop rolling out fiber. Verizon has decided to not compete in the Fiber market. How about complaining about that.
Or AT&T trying to make it harder for Google to compete in the markets AT&T operates. Now that's anti-competitive
Well. In theory Google could extend their fiber presence by buying the NBN. Pity. They can't. The NBN is only 1/3 fiber. Thanks, Australian Liberal Party for building the internet network today that we paid Telstra to build in the 90s using the same technology from that era.
If you want a good internet connection like they have in Romania and other "third world shitholes".
Huh? Acquiring small companies is not an issue. Mergers of large ones is. And Google is the smallest in the gig arena.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
google-analytics.com, gstatic.com, etc
Sounds good. We'll send drones with tear gas bombs inside your house, wait for the fires and let you decide if you want to come out or not. You'll never see the face of your enemies, even as you die! Enjoy your second amendment, Rambo!
Why are you guys shooting Muslims anyways? I thought your love of 8 year old wives and shooting innocents would have bound Texas and ISIS for sure!
Google, at the end of the day, is still an advertising agency (read: you and your information are a commodity to be sold).
TANSTAAFL
Both of the examples you listed are also undesirable and I have specifically complained about them in the past. They are also both directly driven by the lack of competition, due largely to consolidation through acquisitions. Why does Google get a pass on this (a pass on people even complaining about it, as you seem to want)? Anyway, it's consolidation and a general lack of competition that's causing stagnation, not just Verizon and AT&T, as the market I live in is stagnant and neither one of those companies operate here.
Google is a big entity with the money to make big waves in any industry they decide to dip their toes into. Seeing them start heading down this road should cause concern, even if they aren't currently the worst player in that regard. I think that fanaticism and loyalty to corporations is stupid, so forgive me if I'm picking on your BFF or something.
If you want a vision of the future, imagine a youtube comments section scrolling - forever.
That's an unfortunate turn of events since it will reduce competition even more. I've been using Webpass for almost two years now, but even their rates are more than double than what you'd get in European cities.
Search for Eric Schmidt gets a job at the Pentagon. It was an older story before the CIA even started monitoring Slashdot.
How about if we take your internet away first, after all guns are guaranteed by the constitution to every US citizen (the people), but internet is a luxury.
APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?