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Google Plans to Offer Free WiFi in San Francisco

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the google-google-everywhere dept.

jacksonwest writes "What's been rumored for some time has now been confirmed -- Google has made a bid in response to Mayor Gavin Newsom's request for information. The details of the bid include citywide access, for free, at 300kbps. The plans dovetail into their location-based advertising and services strategy, and come on the heels of their recent VPN service rollout."

8 of 170 comments (clear)

  1. They're in for it now by metternich · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Big telecoms have a lot of political influence. Watch this to be denounced as unfair competition, Communist, unamerican, etc. Followed by FCC rules or laws prohibiting it.

    --
    Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
  2. WiFi? What about newer.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    What happens to this infrastructure when newer technology comes out? Isn't this just a waste? What about WiMAX? Thoughts?

  3. location-based advertising and services by spectrokid · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Every wifi access point has its unique code. When you browse, you get a commercial for the shop lying just around the corner. They don't need to inspect your traffic, they know (+/-) where you are. Smart, damn smart...

    --

    10 ?"Hello World" life was simple then

  4. port 80 restrictions? by matt+me · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I hope Google would be better, but does anyone know if they plan to restrict access to port 80 only, like some other "free" (strange definition) wi-fi. That would mean the only internet applications that work would be web browsers. You wouldn't be able to send/check email, unless, you were using a webmail service, such as... GMail! Similarly, IM, p2p and everything else that isn't on :80, although many apps can get through firewalls, they lose speed.

  5. Google Wifi page by sanmarcos · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This is going to go off their network in a few hours, but its been up for days.

    http://wifi.google.com/download.html
    http://wifi.google.com/faq.html

  6. Ads Ads everywhere by Nomad37 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    How about this for a (relatively) non-intruisve location-based ad idea. Install electronic billboards near wifi access points and based on *aggregate* data, serve up relevant ads. Make sure they're not _too_ targeted or people start getting seriously freaked out by the minority-report style holo-ads ;)

    just a thought...

    --
    Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will! - Antonio Gramsci.
  7. Philadelphia WiFi by ZipprHead · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Philadelphia has had a municiple WiFi plan in place for a while. Test areas are up and running. They are hoping to go live sometime in 2006. A little optimistic I think, but it's actually happening. Pretty exciting for me being in the downtown area.

    http://www.phila.gov/wireless/

  8. Apple + Google == WiFi cellphone + iPod by rczik · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Apple builds the iPod/cellphone. Google provides the new nationwide infrastructure and becomes a new phone company. A truely compelling cell phone with real useful features (real email, real web, iPod, calendaring). Way cool.

    r