Google: No ‘Serious Plans’ For Fiber Expansion To UK

Folks across the pond might have crossed their fingers when they heard rumors that Google would probably expand Fiber to the UK. Fiber, Google’s gigabit internet service, is available in a handful of cities in the U.S. as it is so it didn’t really make sense to hear that the company is already planning an international expansion. Turns out my doubts were right. Google has confirmed that it has no “serious plans” to expanding Google Fiber to the UK.

The rumors claimed that Google had been discussing the possibility with CityFiber, a company that builds and operates fiber networks. It recently secured a lot of funding to bring gigabit internet to cities in the UK and Google was believed to push Fiber through CityFiber’s network.

It was then rumored that the talks between these companies had ended without any deal being reached since CityFiber, Sky and TalkTalk are already committed to bringing gigabit internet to many cities in the country.

In a statement provided to Engadget a spokesperson for the company confirmed that while Google does have “information conversations” with other telecom companies all the time it has never had any serious planning discussions with regards to Google Fiber.

Whenever Google does decide to go for international expansion it would make sense if it started with the UK. Outside of the U.S. this may be potentially the biggest international market, but for now UK-based companies have to take the gigabit cause forward on their own.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: General
Tags: Google Fiber