In the name of “moving global connectivity forward,” a big name from Google is switching sides, joining Facebook’s ranks to become a part of its effort to bring more people online.
On Friday, Kevin Lo, former general manager of Google Fiber, announced on his personal Facebook (not Google+) page that he would become Facebook’s Director of Infrastructure Connectivity and Investments. This comes about a year after leaving the tech conglomerate.
The move represents a strong push by Facebook in its goal to increase internet connectivity globally. According to Recode, Lo will be responsible for handling many of Facebook’s “external partnerships pertaining to its connectivity efforts,” which include the fiber-optic cable deal the company reached with Microsoft, as well as its plan to “bring better connectivity to densely populated urban areas, dubbed Terragraph.
But although he’s coming from what is essentially Google’s internet service provider branch, Facebook has no plans to move forward with a similar business model any time soon, Recode reports. Lo had initially joined Google in 2010, after starting his career in the telecom industry. He was Google Fiber’s first manager, running the division for five years in its very early stages, laying the groundwork for future success.
Google Fiber has become a bit of a giant in its own regard, expanding to cities across the United States at an alarming rate, promising faster speeds and more affordable pricing than competitors in those markets.
In a statement from Facebook, where Lo will report to Jason Taylor, infrastructure vice president, the company expressed its excitement to have him join the team.
“Kevin will help shape our strategy and broader framework for Facebook’s infrastructure connectivity investments with partners,” the statement reads. “He will work alongside Facebook’s infrastructure and connectivity teams to help build an active partner ecosystem and accelerate the adoption of new technologies that can drastically change the economics of deploying internet infrastructure.”
