(Credit: GFiber)
GFiber, formerly Google Fiber, is trying to reassure users that “nothing is changing” about its internet service, which is slated to merge with Astound Broadband later this year.
On Thursday, GFiber sent an email to subscribers promising the “same great internet experience” two weeks after the merger was announced. The email, from GFiber CEO Dinni Jain, notes that Astound's parent company, "Stonepeak, an infrastructure investment firm, is purchasing a majority stake in GFiber.”
The financial and business terms of the arrangement remain unclear. But Google’s parent, Alphabet, “will still be a shareholder after the deal closes, which is expected in Q4 subject to customary closing conditions,” Jain added.
(Credit: GFiber/PCMag)The merger naturally raises questions about changes to GFiber, which last year won our Readers' Choice Award for best overall ISP. But in the email, GFiber’s CEO says: “First, let me assure you that nothing is changing about your GFiber service—not the speed, not the price, and not the extraordinary customer experience you’ve come to expect from us.
“The GFiber executive team will continue to lead the company as we step into this next chapter. Our focus stays the same: delivering an unparalleled experience for your building and community,” he added.
However, Jain noted that the service has officially adopted GFiber as its name, transitioning away from its original title, Google Fiber. “We’ve been using the GFiber name for a while now, but moving forward, you’ll see it in even more places. As a company with a strong love of speed, now even our name is faster,” he wrote.
Despite Jain’s email, some GFiber subscribers remain worried that Stonepeak will force profit-focused changes down the line. “Enshitification shall ensue,” wrote one user on Reddit.
However, Astound and GFiber have said the combined company promises to unlock a new phase of growth for GFiber, including “expanding its customer-first approach and pioneering fiber technology across the country.”