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Mountain View To Partially Replace Google Wi-Fi

Posted by Unknown on from the blame-smartphones dept.

itwbennett writes "Google launched the citywide Wi-Fi network with much fanfare in 2006 as a way for Mountain View residents and businesses to connect to the Internet at no cost. It covers most of the Silicon Valley city and worked well until last year, as Slashdot readers may recall, when connectivity got rapidly worse. As a result, Mountain View is installing new Wi-Fi hotspots in parts of the city to supplement the poorly performing network operated by Google. Both the city and Google have blamed the problems on the design of the network. Google, which is involved in several projects to provide Internet access in various parts of the world, said in a statement that it is 'actively in discussions with the Mountain View city staff to review several options for the future of the network.'"

3 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. It never worked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    The summary concocts a wonderful fantasy. I live in mountain view. It doesn't work near my home, at the Caltrain station with nobody there, or on Castro. You connect and you're lucky to get an IP. If that actually works, you'll wait for a few minutes to get to your first page.

  2. I live in Mountain View... by HockeyPuck · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's never really worked. The main downtown area, Castro Street, service is abysmal. If I can get an IP address, page load times are terrible. On the other hand, turn off the wireless on my phone and go with 4G and surfing is nice and snappy.

    This was a PR stunt by Google, they were never serious about this. Or the old addage, "you get what you pay for". Given all you needed to access it was a google account, of course they're going to do the bare minimum. Conversely, with Vz/ATT, you're paying for service.

  3. Re:ADD -- Billionaire Edition by Albanach · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There's a pattern here. They launch dozens of new products and then kill them a short time later. The roll out WiFi to their home town and then neglect it.

    Advertising brings in 98% of their revenue. Everything else is just playthings for a company with too much money and no idea what to (usefully) do with it. Maybe instead of worrying about balloons in Africa you should work on the things in your own back yard..

    Well, doesn't the world just owe you?

    Did you read the summary? They launched this network - presumably at the cost of significant time and money - seven years ago. It worked well for over five years. Given the lead time to design, implement and get approval for this network, it may well have been designed around 2004.

    I very much doubt it has been neglected if it operated well for so long. It looks like demand is now beyond the capacity of the original network and that Google is addressing this.

    How on earth does this make Google a burden? And why, precisely, should they stop caring about people dying in poorer parts of the world, so you can get a better free service?