Latest from Next TV in Gregory-mccray

Google Fiber’s Top Exec Steps Down

Jeff Baumgartner — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 11:46:00 +0000

Alphabet’s Access division and its Google Fiber unit are again in search of a new leader following the resignation of Gregory McCray just five months after he took the post, Bloomberg first reported.

Update: A Google spokesperson confirmed that McCray had stepped down and that a search for his replacement is underway.

McCray was named CEO of Alphabet’s Access division in mid-February, taking over a role previously held by Craig Barratt, who had resigned that post last fall and is now CEO of Barefoot Networks, a maker of fast, programmable Ethernet switch chips that counts Google among its financial backers.

RELATED: Google Fiber Taps New Leader Amid Restructuring

McCray, previously was CEO of Aero Communications and a member of the CenturyLink board of directors, had taken the helm of Alphabet’s Access unit as it paused expansion plans for Google Fiber, concentrated on current deployments, and placed a greater emphasis on more cost-effective wireless broadband alternatives that included WebPass, a company acquired by Google last fall.

“We are committed to the success of Google Fiber. The team is bringing gigabit connections to more and more happy customers,” 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.”

Google Fiber is part of Alphabet’s “Other Bets,” a unit that emphasizes longer-term projects.

“We’re working to connect more people to abundant access, on networks that are always fast and always open. It’s a mission that we're fully committed to as a Google Fiber team,” a Google Fiber spokesperson said in a statement.

CEO of Alphabet’s Access Unit Joins Adtran Board

Jeff Baumgartner — Thu, 11 May 2017 14:53:00 +0000

Gregory McCray, CEO of Alphabet Access, the unit that oversees Google Fiber, has been appointed to the board of Adtran, the Huntsville, Ala.-based network equipment and software provider.

Adtran said the addition of McCray will help the vendor as it focuses on expanding Gigabit-class broadband speeds and supporting other areas such as smart cities, the Internet of Things and software-defined networking.

In February, Alphabet has tapped Gregory McCray as CEO of its Access division, taking over a role previously held by Craig Barratt and coming on board amid a restructuring at Google Fiber and a shift in focus toward less expensive wireless-based broadband alternatives.

Prior to joining Alphabet, McCray was CEO of Aero Communications, chairman and CEO of PipingHot Networks, and an exec at Lucent Technologies. He is also a former board member of CenturyLink Communications.

“Over the past decade, the telecommunications market has undergone several fundamental shifts in terms of how networks are designed, services are developed and what types of organizations deliver those services. Greg brings tremendous management and international experience that will greatly benefit our team as we look to leverage these shifts to create shareholder and organizational value,” Thomas Stanton, chairman and CEO of Adtran, said in a statement. “The pace of change in our industry has accelerated, requiring more nimble and flexible approaches as we continue to drive innovation, expand our reach and transform the way people live, work and play. I believe that this is a perfect time for someone of Greg’s vision and experience to join our board.”

Google Fiber Taps New Leader Amid Restructuring

Jeff Baumgartner — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 00:49:00 +0000

Google Fiber and the Access unit of parent company Alphabet has a new CEO, who is coming on board amid the move to a more decentralized structure that will affect hundreds of employees while enabling the division to remain committed to its current batch of cities and push into a small group of new ones.

On the leadership front, Alphabet has tapped Gregory McCray as CEO of its Access division, which includes operations of Google Fiber, which is building out FTTP networks that support gigabit broadband, voice and TV services.

McCray, who has been serving as CEO of Aero Communications and on the board of CenturyLink, takes over in the role previously held by Craig Barratt, who has since resigned that post and was recently named CEO of Barefoot Networks, a maker of fast, programmable Ethernet switch chips that counts Google among its financial backers. Late last year, The Information reported that CenturyLink was a “potential acquirer” of Google Fiber.

“Google Fiber has been instrumental making the web faster and better for everyone — something I’ve been passionate about my entire career,” McCray said, in a statement. “I’m thrilled to lead Access as we continue in our mission to connect more people to abundant access, on networks that are always fast and always open.”

McCray heads up Access following a recent decision to pause Google Fiber’s expansion plans as it concentrated on current deployments and explored less expensive wireless broadband alternatives.

“Google Fiber remains focused on our customers and cities. We want to bring Google Fiber to customers faster, so we’re focused on making deployment more efficient and less intrusive,” a Google Fiber spokesperson said. “We’re thrilled that Greg has agreed to join as CEO, to drive this innovation and to grow the business.”

The Google Fiber team is moving to a more decentralized structure that will allow for more innovation to come from the field, but a move that will also result in hundreds of employees shifting into new roles in Google and Alphabet, a person familiar with the matter said, confirming a story first reported by Bloomberg.

The new structure, the person added, will likewise mean that Access will look a bit more like a startup again, with a focus on innovations designed to improve business results and service velocity.

Google Fiber, the person added, will also look to serve existing subscribers and add new ones in the current cities, and is now in position to push ahead with previous plans to enter new cities such as Huntsville, Ala.; Louisville, Ky., and San Antonio, Texas.

Cities still on Google Fiber’s list for “potential” build outs include Dallas, Texas; Jacksonville, Fla.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Phoenix, Ariz.; San Jose, Calif., Tampa, Fla.; and Portland, Ore.

Cities supported by Webpass, the wireless broadband company acquired last fall by Google Fiber, include Boston; Chicago; Miami, San Diego, San Francisco, and Oakland.