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Tucked in between a picturesque skyline and modern architecture sits a Market brimming with ingenuity, ambition and dream making.

Billed as North Carolina’s first food hall, The Market at 7th Street opened in Charlotte in 2011. Since its inception, the nonprofit Market has hosted more than 40 small businesses, acting as a non-profit incubator, helping local entrepreneurs and minority businesses realize their vision in an inclusive and supportive environment. To help small business owners reach their full potential, GFiber supplied the building with internet. 

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“Our business relies on it. If we’re going to accept business via card, we need to be hooked up to a reliable internet system and Google Fiber does not fail us at all. I wouldn’t change it for anything,” says Janelle Doyle, owner of It’s Poppin Kettle Corn, a Market staple.


Doyle started her business in The Market in 2017. Since then, her kettle corn business went from a handful of flavors to a finger-licking 60, including customer favorites like cheesy caramel, fried chicken and cookies and cream. She says the role GFiber plays in her day-to-day life is even more pivotal during the holiday season when people’s appetites increase.

“The fact that GFiber is so reliable, it really does help us maintain a good customer relationship,” she says. “It’s essential to my livelihood. It’s one less thing I have to worry about. It’s quick, it’s fast and I haven’t had any problems with it at all. It’s reliable and dependable. GFiber checks all the boxes.”


About 20 feet away you’ll find Josh Villapando. The first-generation Filipino American has an eye for elegance and a taste tailored for it. His comprehensive and curated wine selection (along with vintage toys dating back to the 1940s) has operated at The Market since 2012.

“I remember seeing it advertised to greater Charlotte, and I could not wait. Sure enough, Google Fiber set up across the street. It was night and day, not just for us to run faster, but more efficiently and more reliably,” he says.


Similar to Doyle, the holiday season is big business for Villapando. He makes more than 50% of his revenue during this time, so the importance of fast and reliable internet is paramount.

“I don’t know how we could live without it. It’s essential,” he says. “I consult and give advice to other small business owners. I tell them, ‘You need a strong accountant, a very strong lawyer, a paper shredder and you definitely need super-fast and reliable internet service.’”

Posted by Jess George, Head of Government & Community Affairs Manager, East Region



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It's been an exciting year for GFiber in Idaho, as we continued to work hard to bring internet service to the Gem State, and we’ve been humbled by the response.  

On October 3rd, we began offering service to customers in Pocatello, our first city in Idaho. We celebrated at Lookout Point Park, with representatives from the city, and the energy was electric! Mayor Blad captured the excitement perfectly, highlighting how crucial increased internet access is for residents and businesses. 


And earlier this month, we were thrilled to welcome Chubbuck to the GFiber family, beginning to serve customers there as well.

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This rollout wouldn't have been possible without the fantastic collaboration with both cities. In early 2023, Pocatello and Chubbuck signed license agreements with GFiber, and the collaboration with city staff has been outstanding ever since. It's a testament to what can be achieved when GFiber and our cities work together towards a common goal.

To that end, GFiber is also jumping in to work with the local communities to help further their digital inclusion goals. Even before we served customers in the region, we started working with Idaho State University in Pocatello to help increase digital literacy in the region. We're proud to support their STEM programs and digital literacy initiatives, and we were deeply touched by the strong ISU presence at our Pocatello ribbon-cutting ceremony, and excited to announce our efforts at a celebration with President Robert Wagner.


This is just the beginning for GFiber in Idaho. We've been busy exploring opportunities in the Treasure Valley and can't wait to bring our services to more neighborhoods in this vibrant region soon. You can check service availability and get updates here.

Posted by Alberto Garcia, Government & Community Affairs Manager, West Region



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GFiber is tuning up to celebrate 10 years in Nashville. We announced we were coming to  Music City in 2015, and today, dozens of neighborhoods across the city have GFiber connecting them to all the things they love.

As we continue to build out our network within Nashville’s city limits, we’re also extending connections to other Middle Tennessee residents.  We currently serve customers in Smyrna, and are in the process of adding Murfreesboro and Franklin to the GFiber family. 

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We started work on the infrastructure to connect Murfreesboro this year and started wiring up neighborhoods there in September. Mayor Shane McFarland and the City of Murfreesboro team have been instrumental in bringing GFiber to the city at the literal center of Tennessee! We expect to also begin construction in Franklin by the end of this year. 

Growing Our Team
Just like our network, the GFiber team also continues to grow. Nick Fischer was recently promoted to South Region General Manager, overseeing all market operations across Tennessee, Alabama and Florida. Other recent additions include Emily Trapani, Head of Sales in the South Region; John-Michael Cortez, Head of Government and Community Affairs for the South and Southwest Regions; and Eric Grose, Head of Metro Technical Operations for The South Region. Emily and John-Michael are both long term members of the GFiber team, while Eric is joining us with two decades of experience in the telecom industry. Our team is continuing to grow, so if you are interested in helping us connect more people in Music City, take a look at our open roles.


Our Commitment to Community 
Since establishing our roots in Middle Tennessee a decade ago, our commitment to the communities we serve here is only growing stronger. 

We’ve partnered with the Nashville Public Education Foundation and Nashville Public Library Foundation to help provide our Middle Tennessee neighbors access to technology and develop the digital skills needed to succeed in today’s world. 

We’re also proud to support initiatives like the  NTEN Digital Inclusion Fellowship, which provides nonprofit professionals with the knowledge they need to bring digital equity to their communities. 


Beyond our community partnerships, we’ve also had fun sponsoring and attending local events, including the Pilgrimage Festival, the Top Gun Night Run 6K, and the Mayor’s Cup Golf Tournament.
We’re excited to continue our journey of connecting communities across Middle Tennessee.

Posted by the GFiber Nashville Team







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A year ago, GFiber Labs announced 20 Gig + Wi-Fi 7 at Network X in Paris, and just this summer, we went a step further, testing 50 Gig on our network in Kansas City. As 2024 Network X gets underway, we’re excited to continue our work towards 100 Gig with the publication of a white paper with Ciena on Optimizing Passive Optical Networks with Coherent Innovation. I’d like to say a special thank you to the peer reviewers, as always these types of projects are always a true collaboration and exemplify the kind of work we do at GFiber Labs.  


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This paper explores how 100G CPON could potentially future-proof fiber networks with consideration of growing demands for bandwidth and service, discussing the requirements and opportunities to make this technology a reality and to get it widely deployed. GFiber is committed to ensuring that our network anticipates consumer needs and is ready to support increased demand in advance. Understanding and exploring advanced PON technologies is a key piece of delivering on that promise. 


The future of the internet is wildly exciting. GFiber Labs will continue to further the conversation and innovation around what’s next for internet and how we can bring these opportunities to life to make the internet better for everyone. 


Posted by Hani Elmaky, Head of Network Planning & Engineering



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Starting today, residents of the Alameda neighborhood of Pocatello can sign up for GFiber’s award-winning internet service. We celebrated this milestone with Pocatello Mayor Brian Bland this afternoon at Lookout Point Park. Neighbors who stopped by got information on our products and some delicious empanadas from Beixy Kitchen.

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As the gateway city of the northwest, Pocatello is a natural way to expand GFiber from our service areas in Utah. While we’re continuing to build our network across the city (and neighboring Chubbuck), we appreciate the support and collaboration of the city staff, mayor, and city council to help us continue to connect more people to great internet.  

Pocatello customers have a choice of 1 Gig for $70/month, 2 Gig for $100/month, 5 Gig for $125/month or 8 Gig for $150/month — all with symmetrical uploads and downloads,  equipment and installation included at no additional cost, and no annual contracts or data caps. We also offer GFiber for Business. Local businesses can choose between Business 2 Gig for $250/month or Business 1 Gig for $100/month. 

The Alameda neighborhood is just the beginning with more areas opening up for service as network segments are completed.You can stay up to date on our construction progress and service availability, by signing up here.

Posted by Alberto Garcia, Government and Community Affairs Manager



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Across each of our fiber cities, GFiber collaborates with local organizations that are driving positive change in their communities, addressing issues of digital equity and driving STEM education initiatives. In Denver, we work closely with the Latin American Educational Foundation (LAEF), a non-profit that increases access to higher education for STEM-focused students across Colorado. Nick Lopez, President and CEO of LAEF, shares how LAEF is making a career in STEM even more attainable for future Latino professionals. 

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The Latin American Educational Foundation (LAEF) is focusing on the future of Colorado by investing in its brightest and most driven Latino students. For 75 years we have identified, cultivated, supported and highlighted bright young minds throughout the state, and enabled them to grow in their career pursuits in STEM via scholarship and professional opportunities. 

A key component of our scholars’ achievement is not only the financial support LAEF provides, but also the access to a success coach. Our success coaches help college students navigate campus life, utilize university resources to their fullest potential and provide counsel on career opportunities. This holistic, culturally-centered, support is critical for the success of the students we work with, especially knowing that of the 121 scholarships awarded in 2024, 81% of these scholars were first-generation college students. 


We rely on community donations and industry partners for our scholarships— Google Fiber’s support funded four scholarships this year alone. Once students are part of LAEF, we make the commitment to renew that scholarship every year for the duration of their college education. 

Through our match opportunities we build on donations from industry partners dollar-for-dollar, enabling our donors to double their impact and allowing us to reach twice as many students. 

As the longest serving Latino scholarship foundation in the state of Colorado with a 75-year history, we have unique insight into how the demand for scholarships is growing exponentially across the state.  

Over the past 10-15 years, we have seen more and more Latinos pursue a higher education in Colorado, but the biggest barrier remains access to financial resources, especially amid the increasing costs to attend college. 

Last year LAEF had 525 students apply for our scholarship program and we had the capacity to provide awards to 121 students. However, there is still work to be done to meet rising scholarship demand.


As we look to the years ahead, partnering with other nonprofit organizations throughout Colorado, securing long-term support from our industry partners like GFiber has never been more important. 

This support represents an investment in the very future of Colorado. By 2050, Latinos are projected to comprise more than 35% of the state population. In this way, our work has a direct impact on not only today’s students, but the future innovators, entrepreneurs, and STEM workforce of the state of Colorado.

Just like GFiber is an innovative, forward-looking company, this is next-generation work for us. We’re looking at the future, finding ways to support students and create pathways to higher education.  

Posted by Nick Lopez, President & CEO LAEF

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Continuous improvement has become quite the corporate watchword. No matter where you look, someone is telling you how they constantly focus on making things better for their customers. And that’s as it should be. 


But you can’t just say you want to be getting better, you have to be working towards that goal with a single-minded focus. Improvement requires self-awareness, clear-eyed honest feedback, recognition of your business’s strengths and weaknesses, a vision of where you are going, and a willingness to lean into the uncomfortable. At GFiber, we’re obsessed with this, and we like it when someone tells us we’re doing a good job. And over the last couple years, we’ve had a few. . .maybe more than a few, people tell us we’re doing a good job. 


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It’s very nice to have JD Power recognize us as the South’s internet service provider with the highest customer satisfaction, CNET call us the best value from a major ISP, and we are PC Mag’s Most Decorated internet provider including the 2024 PCMag Readers Choice Award, but while that’s a great indicator of how we’ve been doing, it’s not a guarantee of future performance. What’s more important is what these organizations are hearing from our customers, and as much as we love the accolades, we appreciate hearing the holistic feedback that often comes with these awards. In addition to the internal surveys and customer response, it provides a valuable look at where we need to be doing better. 


That’s why we were so excited when Ookla approached us about their doing a white paper on how we use SpeedtestⓇ to ensure we’re meeting our customers, and our, very high expectations, when it comes to internet performance. Staying at the top of Ookla’s ratings for speeds by city is important to us, because it’s an independent indicator that our customers are getting the speeds they are paying for; that our in-home equipment is working across diferent devices and uses; and that our network is healthy and delivering quality internet. We also use those independently collected and verified numbers to help us identify issues. (Like helping us recognize that our legacy network box equipment wasn’t delivering on the latest standards we set. So we proactively swapped them out for new Wi-Fi routers to ensure our customers had the latest technology and were getting the speeds they should, even if the customers never realized the issue themselves). 


As the paper explains, these numbers help us ensure we’re also having the desired effect overall — when we enter a market we see speeds go up and prices come down, and not just for our customers. Having a third-party like Ookla help us see what’s happening keeps us on our toes and striving to push to the next level. Which is what it’s really all about. We know we have a long way to go. Next gen internet requires constant improvement and you can only do that with candid, real world feedback. We’re grateful when we get that input because it helps us continue to improve and get closer to giving our customers the internet we all want to have. GFiber runs on customer insight, understanding our customers allows us to continue to drive the internet forward.



Posted by Melani Griffith, Chief Growth Officer



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GFiber co-founded the Digital Inclusion Fellowship Program with NTEN in 2015 to equip fellows to address digital equity in their communities nationwide. Over that time GFiber has funded 133 fellows in our service areas. Today on the GFiber Blog, NTEN CEO Amy Sample Ward reflects on a decade of growth and the lessons learned from empowering over 153 digital equity champions.

NTEN 10th Cohort 2024
This September, NTEN launched the tenth cohort of the Digital Inclusion Fellowship. Over the years, the Fellowship has expanded the pool of capable and innovative digital equity leaders and champions in the nonprofit sector. Created in close collaboration with Google Fiber and proudly engaging with nearly ten other funders across the industry and country, the program has drawn on insights from a diverse range of practitioners, allowing us to continuously refine the Fellowship into a truly inclusive, adaptable, and holistic training model. 

These ten cohorts have reaffirmed several key beliefs that underpin our work. As we mark this tenth anniversary, we want to celebrate the remarkable impact of our fellows and share the valuable lessons we’ve learned together.

There are many barriers that keep communities digitally divided. 

We aim to give fellows the freedom, resources, and skills to design programs tailored to their community’s unique needs. As a result, each cohort and fellow has approached this work differently. Fellows have covered a wide range of topics and learning goals in their training. We’ve seen fellows organize drop-in computer lab sessions that consistently fill up, or lead partnerships to provide participants with free devices or hotspots. We’ve had fellows who focused on helping their community build the skills that were valuable to them – from job applications, accessing healthcare, and continuing education, to finding a recording of their first concert on YouTube, or staying connected with distant friends and family.


Nonprofit organizations that already work with, and are trusted by, digitally divided communities are ideally positioned to deliver digital inclusion programs. 

Our goal isn't to create new organizations solely focused on digital inclusion, but rather to integrate these programs into the existing missions and services of organizations that community members already rely on for support. There's no one-size-fits-all approach to digital inclusion programs; we have had fellows from a diverse array of organizations, including libraries, public housing authorities, parks and recreation departments, adult literacy organizations, immigrant and refugee service agencies, parent centers, and many others.

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We are stronger together, always. 

Working within a cohort model ensures that fellows, even if they are the only ones in their region, remain part of a deeply supportive network of peers and practitioners, so they never feel alone in their work. Additionally, we are more effective in bridging digital divides when we collaborate rather than compete. Many fellows have developed partnership programs across their cities, encouraging participants to access training, devices, and other services from multiple organizations, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose.

With these guiding beliefs, the Digital Inclusion Fellowship launched with and continues to hold three priority goals, each with measurable and exciting impact to date. 

  • To support nonprofit staff who want to be digital equity champions within their organizations and communities to have the skills and confidence to design and expand programs.  To date, we have supported 153 fellows from 131 organizations, across 22 regions.
  • To guide those staff with training, coaching, and support to build programs that are sustainable, equitable, and relevant to their specific communities. Our fellows equip underserved communities with digital literacy and access – such as Tanesha Whitelaw, who worked with incarcerated women in Missouri and Kansas; Julie Heller, who supported newly resettled refugees with culturally sensitive digital literacy training; and Brianna Glass, who created educational zines for seniors in her library. In total, fellows have provided 130,088 hours of training and distributed over 5,800 devices in their communities.
  • To expand the number of digital equity leaders across the country and strengthen the coalitions, networks, and movement for this sector. Over the past ten years, DIF fellows have reached 56,065 participants and fostered 1,238 partnerships that strengthen the impact of their digital equity work. 

These are more than just numbers. They represent lives changed, communities connected, and opportunities created through the dedication of our fellows. Our DIF fellows have stepped up as digital equity advocates and leaders. They’ve shared their stories and insights at digital equity conferences and even pushed for policy changes to ensure that everyone has a fair chance in our increasingly digital world.

Like all of the programs at NTEN, we see our role as the spark, the supporter, the capacity builder, and the one cheering the loudest for this community. We are incredibly proud to spotlight every fellow that has been part of a decade of remarkable, critical work for communities and our sector. Check out their stories, their programs, and the impact they have each made. And we welcome you to join us as part of this pivotal program!

Posted by Amy Sample Ward, CEO of NTEN 



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GFiber is committed to supporting women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). In Charlotte, we work with the Dottie Rose Foundation, supporting their vision of making computer science education accessible, inclusive and equitable for all regardless of gender.  Jillian Klinberg , Executive Director, shares with us the organization’s impact and how sponsorships and proceeds raised from the upcoming Dazzle the Dot gala will help them meet their goals. 

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Dottie Rose Foundation (DRF) is deeply committed to empowering and supporting girls in their journey through computer science. We firmly believe that achieving gender equality in the tech field starts with early intervention, which is why we focus primarily on girls from 5th to 12th grade. Our approach at DRF is offering comprehensive and continuous programming that nurtures their interest and skills in the world of computer science. We are setting the standard in computer science education through our in-school and year round programs, summer camps, workshops and girls in tech days. Our mission is centered around equipping girls with the skills and confidence to succeed in the field of technology. We understand that it's not enough to teach computer science; we also need to inspire and empower them!  

DRF was founded in February 2018 and is named in honor of our founder, Dr. Sharon Jones’s grandmother,  a lifelong learner who was always taking a new class or picking up a new skill. Dr. Jones was teaching computer science at Philip O. Berry High School and noticed the lack of girls in her high school computer science courses. In fact,  only 3-4 girls were signing up for the classes. 


For five years, Sharon and I hustled non-stop, building relationships and forging strategic partnerships. Our relentless efforts enabled us to secure key funders such as GFiber and drive our vision forward. Since our start in 2018, we have served over 2500 girls! As of August 2023, DRF is now 100% scholarships based with 85% of our girls coming from underserved, underfunded communities within Charlotte, NC and surrounding areas. Our programs serve girls from different backgrounds, races and economic households. It makes for a wonderful blend of girls with different perspectives and points of view, and beautiful friendships are made. Through our deeply rooted partnerships with industry volunteers, we are able to enhance the impact and expertise of our programming. 



We provide our girls with the skills and knowledge to succeed in the fast-changing tech industry. Our programs are designed to be adaptable and responsive to the needs of the girls we serve. We recognize that the gender gap in computer science is rooted in a number of factors, including stereotypes about girls' abilities in STEM fields and a lack of female role models in the tech industry. The foundation's programs are designed to address these root causes by providing girls with positive role models and by challenging stereotypes about girls' abilities in STEM. Through our deeply rooted partnerships with industry professionals, we are able to enhance the impact and expertise of our programming. With 95% of our volunteers being women, and 76% representing minority groups, we are able to provide girls with authentic insights into real-world applications and networking opportunities. We are better together!



DRF has grown from Sharon and myself to a team of 5 full-time employees! Our staff and volunteers at the DRF are passionate about closing the gender gap in computer science. They are dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for girls to learn and explore their interests in tech. They come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. This diversity allows them to connect with girls from all walks of life and help them see themselves in the tech industry. Our DRF staff and volunteers serve as mentors and role models for the girls they work with. They share their own stories and experiences in tech, and they help girls to develop their skills and confidence. They are active in the community, raising awareness of the gender gap in computer science and encouraging girls to pursue careers in tech.

According to code.org, there are currently 10,873 open computing jobs with an average salary of $109,439 in North Carolina. Yet, there were only 2,482 graduates in computer science from North Carolina colleges and universities, and only 61% of all public high schools teach a foundational computer science course. 

At the Dottie Rose Foundation, we not only inspire girls to dream about rewarding careers in technology, but we give them the support and hands-on experiences to empower them to do the work to turn their dreams into reality. 

Posted by Jillian Klingberg, Executive Director Dottie Rose Foundation 



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Colorado, here we come! Starting today, residents in the Eiber neighborhood of Lakewood can sign up to get connected to high-speed internet from GFiber to meet their families’ internet needs, whatever their online lives require. 

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We’re marking the occasion with an ice cream social at The Ice Cream Farm. This afternoon many Lakewood residents braved the rain to come by and get the scoop on GFiber while enjoying some delicious frozen treats on us. 

Lakewood Mayor Wendi Strom stops by our event at The Ice Cream Farm.

Lakewood customers will be able to choose any GFiber plan — 1 Gig for $70/month, 2 Gig for $100/month, 5 Gig for $125/month or 8 Gig for $150/month —  all with symmetrical uploads and downloads and equipment and installation included at no additional cost, no annual contracts and no data caps. Local businesses can sign up for GFiber for Business, offering Business 2 Gig for $250/month or Business 1 Gig for $100/month. 


This is just the next step for GFiber in the Denver metro area. GFiber Webpass has been available in Denver since 2017. We’re continuing to build our network out across Lakewood. As new segments are complete, we’ll open service in those neighborhoods. Additionally, we’re set to start construction in Westminster soon, and actively working on design and permitting for Golden, Wheat Ridge, and additional parts of Adams County.  For the latest on our construction progress and service availability in Colorado, sign up here.

Posted by Andy Simpson, General Manager Central Manager







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