Google buys high-speed internet service provider Webpass, expanding Fiber’s reach

Webpass, a high-speed internet service provider with operations in 10 cities around the U.S., today announced that it has been acquired by Google. The move means that Google will be providing internet service to more people, expanding beyond the existing reach of Google Fiber.

“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. Google Fiber’s resources will enable Webpass to grow faster and reach many more customers than we could as a standalone company,” Webpass president Charles Barr wrote in a blog post.

[aditude-amp id="flyingcarpet" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":1986336,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"business,","session":"A"}']

Webpass started in 2003 and is based in San Francisco. Residential and premium Webpass connections offer speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second.

The move shows Google relying more on outside existing infrastructure to grow, rather than building out its own.

Earlier this year, Google announced Fiber Phone, which has become available alongside internet and TV services from Fiber. Google started working with partners to bring Fiber to more people in early 2016, but now it’s worth considering whether Google will make additional acquisitions in order to expand the underlying network.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.