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Google Wiring New York City's Chelsea For Free Wi-Fi

Posted by Soulskill on from the now-do-the-rest-of-the-country dept.

Nerval's Lobster writes "On the heels of rolling out high-speed broadband to Kansas City, Google is bringing more connectivity to another American municipality: New York City's Chelsea neighborhood, which will receive Wi-Fi in outdoor areas courtesy of the search-engine giant. The free Internet zone will encompass an area between 8th Avenue and the West Side Highway on the East-West access, and 19th Street and Gansevoort Street on the North-South. It will cost $115,000 to build and $45,000 a year to maintain, according to Bloomberg, with costs split between Google and a nonprofit neighborhood development group. Internet access will come free of advertising, aside from a provider message from Google, and not require any sort of password. Under mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York City has encouraged the development of a sizable tech sector; in addition to dozens of startups, Google and other behemoths have opened headquarters in Manhattan. In theory, this 'Silicon Alley' will contribute mightily to the city's tax base and diversify the local economy."

12 of 67 comments (clear)

  1. And it will be called... by mariox19 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hipster Web.

    --

    quiquid id est, timeo puellas et oscula dantes.

  2. Should read, "Only part of Chelsea" by smooth+wombat · · Score: 3, Informative

    Chelsea is much larger than what the article relates. It encompasses the area (roughly) from 9th St (and that weird triangle area with Gansevoort) up to about 28th and from 5th Avenue to 12th (there is a 13th Ave but it's no longer accessible).

    As someone further up suggested, Hipster Web.

    --
    We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
    1. Re:Should read, "Only part of Chelsea" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      It's also not a coincidence that their New York Headquarters is right in the middle of that neighborhood...

    2. Re:Should read, "Only part of Chelsea" by LordNicholas · · Score: 3, Informative

      This. Their NYC offices are the in the old Port Authority building at 111 8th avenue. Apparently they bought that particular building because there's a major fiber line that runs through it.

      Source: I used to work out of the building before Google bought it.

  3. Small problem by girlintraining · · Score: 3, Funny

    Dear Google,

    How do you plan on overcoming internet dropping out for blocks around everytime someone wants to make some hot pockets?

    Sincerely,
    Unregulated Spectrum

    --
    #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
    1. Re:Small problem by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny

      Dear Google,

      How do you plan on overcoming internet dropping out for blocks around everytime someone wants to make some hot pockets?

      Sincerely,
      Unregulated Spectrum

      The relays will be running at enough power to cook a passing pigeon, so there's also the bonus of feeding street people nourishing hot meals.

      also, if you stay in the area long enough you won't need a tanning bed!

      --

      A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  4. Diversify the Local Economy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    WTF, "diversify the local economy" of NYC?!? The only place I've ever been that has more for sale than NYC was Phnom Penh, Cambodia where I could buy B40 rockets and hashish.

  5. Re:why would they even care? by gstoddart · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Until they get a subpeona for someone downloading child porn or downloading music.

    If they simply say "well, we have no idea of who is using it for what", some clever lawyer will say they're facilitating this.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  6. Wiring for Wireless by asylumx · · Score: 3, Funny

    Wait, so they are wiring up the city in an attempt to make it wireless? Genius!

  7. Tracking by systemidx · · Score: 3, Insightful

    While it says that it will come free from advertising, it DOESN'T say that you won't be monitored while connected. I'm certain they will recoup costs this way. Nothing is ever free.

    1. Re:Tracking by alphatel · · Score: 3, Informative

      While it says that it will come free from advertising, it DOESN'T say that you won't be monitored while connected. I'm certain they will recoup costs this way. Nothing is ever free.

      Encrypt your communications, no reason you shouldn't whenever you use wireless, free or otherwise.

      --
      When the foot seeks the place of the head, the line is crossed. Know your place. Keep your place. Be a shoe.
  8. Google strikes again! by cdrguru · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Let's see... they are sharing the cost with some neighborhood group but you can bet that Google will receive 100% of the market research data, tracking data and web advertising benefits from this. All the while the people are using this thinking that it is a free service given to them gratis out of the goodness of a multibillion dollar giant.

    Right.

    Google has found a way to monetize the Internet in interesting ways that either haven't occurred to others yet or aren't available to others because they do not have the market reach. This allows them to give valuable stuff away apparently for free while all the time raking in huge amounts of money. Some disclosure might be nice here - like how much Google will make the first year of doing this. If this information became public it might inspire other companies to do likewise until everyone had their fill of apparently free stuff with huge hidden costs in privacy and tracking. Rolling out a city or two a year isn't going to show people the real downside to this tactic.