Business 2.0: What if Google (GOOG) wanted to give Wi-Fi access to everyone in America? And what if it had technology capable of targeting advertising to a user’s precise location? The gatekeeper of the world’s information could become one of the globe’s biggest Internet providers and one of its most powerful ad sellers, basically supplanting telecoms in one fell swoop. Sounds crazy, but how might Google go about it? More…
GoogleNet — globally free WiFi
Om has been breaking stories left and right. Here’s his latest, written for Business 2.0, entitled “Free Wi-Fi? Get Ready for GoogleNet.” The story sounds plausible, though we haven’t confirmed anything ourselves: What if Google (GOOG) wanted to gi…
Free Google WiFi + Location Based Ads = Probably
Bars give out pretzels and peanuts because they make you thirsty. What do you do? Business 2.0 (via telecom wiz Om Malik is reporting that Google is putting the pieces together to offer free WiFi, at least in the major markets, and speculates that it i…
[...] ree WiFi for everyone Om speculates in a Businessweek article that you should get ready for googlenet. In the article, Om states that Google may want to set up WiFi for [...]
Live Blogging The Gavster: Municipal Wifi
Gavin is set to announce his plans for Municipal Wifi today at 2pm. Rumors are a-swirlin’ already as to who’s going to be responsible for deploying it. Google has been making apparent moves to buy up backbone capacity across the country, and are app…
17 Aug Snippets
Been a bit busy over the last few days. The Gilry Geek Dinner yesterday was fun, Sarah did a great job of organising and has a round-up of the event. Today was interesting; most of it with no connectivity fromthe…
[...] Oh did I say, its a PC download. (Mac guys can exhale!) I wonder if people on the web are forgetting the age old saying – there is no such thing as free lunch. I could trot out the Google Net story, but you have had enough of that! Though, the GSA FAQ does say… Where can I go to download Google Secure Access? The program can currently be downloaded at certain Google WiFi locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. In Unwired Posted Tuesday, September 20, 2005 at 12:06 AM PT Warning: mysql_fetch_array(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in /home/httpd/vhosts/gigaom.com/httpdocs/wp-content/plugins/top10.php on line 57 [...]
Google’s WiFi Service Looms
Google have already begun a limited free WiFi service in San Francisco, which was rolled out earlier this year, but now it seems they have the United States in their sites (via Om Malik’s Broadband Blog). Part of this is a secure PPTP connection via …
[...] Using the $ 4 Bln. to put up a nationwide (USA) WiFi network, GoogleNet, according to Om Malik While it’s not yet entirely clear what Google’s plans are, there are a few others interested in this mass market, including Microsoft with its Windows Mobile phone platform and not to forget Yahoo!. Yahoo’s COO Dan Rosensweig said: "the mobile Internet industry is at a "tipping point." As mobile use continues to grow, more customers will want access to their Yahoo! services." Rosenweig also claimed, "The Internet has become essential. The industry is ready, and mobile usage is exploding". Earlier this month Yahoo head-hunted Nokia heavy weight Christian Lindholm, known as the godfather of the Series 60 platform user interfaces, to head up the Global Mobile Products division at Yahoo. [...]
[...] What if Google wanted to give (free) Wi-Fi access to everyone in America? GoogleNet is coming! Get Ready for GoogleNet [via Om Malik] [...]
Google: San Fran will enjoy free 300kps wif-fi anywhere in the city
Has Google just increased the value of every property in SF?
Om Malik has some very interesting…
[...] Google is making a bid to build a San Francisco-wide free wifi network, according to company officials. The company today filed documents in response to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s request for information for the city wide network. Google’s WiFi plans were first reported by Business 2.0 magazine as part of the GoogleNet article. The company says if its bid is approved, then it is willing to start the work on the network within weeks. [...]
[...] Most importantly, free wireless broadband hotzones are already being seen as a loss leader — by Google. As Google uses free Wi-Fi to push (at least) its local advertising business to critical mass, how likely are they to spend the time and additional billions with licensed carriers like ClearWire, the FCC, and all the other baggage surrounding Wi-Max? Not very. Wi-Fi is unlicensed, rapidly improving, and the basis for products like the LocustWorld Meshbox, which is both open-source and the most broadly deployed hotzone technology on the planet. Wi-Max will join HomeRF in Intel’s dustbin of proprietary wireless standards by mid-2008. [...]
[...] Most importantly, free wireless broadband hotzones are already being seen as a loss leader — by Google. As Google uses free Wi-Fi to push (at least) its local advertising business to critical mass, how likely are they to spend the time and additional billions with licensed carriers like ClearWire, the FCC, and all the other baggage surrounding Wi-Max? Not very. Wi-Fi is unlicensed, rapidly improving, and the basis for products like the LocustWorld Meshbox, which is both open-source and the most broadly deployed hotzone technology on the planet. Wi-Max will join HomeRF in Intel’s dustbin of proprietary wireless standards by mid-2008. [...]
[...] And now for my obligatory obtuse Google reference. One time partner of Google, Feeva is about to hire a new chief executive. Ex-Proxim CEO Kevin Duffy will take over from Nitin Shah, who will become the chairman. I have been able to confirm the news first reported by Unstrung. [...]
[...] I had reported a few weeks back that FON was meeting with Google, but to get funding from them is a big surprise. It does make sense, since Google has its own wireless and network ambitions, aka GoogleNet. I had initially written about FON back in December 2005. Similarly, for Skype, to not getting blocked by traditional phone operators is going to be a big issue as well. The organization that was started in November this year is based in Spain, and in the simplest terms is “Skype+Boingo+Open Source” but only in a WiFi context. Here is how it works. You go and download the software from the website, and update your WiFi router’s software. (Only works for routers that use linux for now). The software update allows you as a consumer to share a certain portion of your bandwidth to a “FoN” network. Essentially what it does is turn every router into a hot spot. [...]
[...] David Lazarus, a columnist for San Francisco Chronicle might have messed with the Texas one too many times. Tweaked by his writings, SBC has decided to pull all the advertising from San Francisco Chronicle (about $5 million.) How quaintly old fashioned! John Battelle reports on the ongoing saga and warns Google, “Because this is your new competitor, Google. Get to know them. As you offer free WiFi to all of San Francisco … and undermine AT&T/SBC’s broadband business …hard ball players like SBC are going to go after you, and rest assured, their motto ain’t “don’t be evil.” “ [...]
[...] free WiFi plans and wondering what the hells taking so long? Google has been talking about this for over 2 years, but is this the right [...]
I think this is a great idea. Wi-Fi is so key to making information readily available to anybody anywhere.
I recently spoke with somebody who worked on the Sprint ION project, which was WAY ahead of its time. They built their infrastructure with very expensive pipes, so they have more bandwidth than anybody out there. Personally, this made me very excited because it’s good news for us in the greater Kansas City area. We’re talking about the types of download and upload speeds that could rival South Korea.
Let’s hope they deliver solutions that incorporate this fat pipe in their next technology. The Digital Prairie has some life in it yet. :-)
If I understand this correctly, Google is basically creating its own last mile access through use of wifi hot spots and an internet network transport system to feed its servers. Basically an infrasturcture play that enables content and applications at full ownership / low cost. Similar to the Robert Murdoch strategy on owning content + pipe.
Excellent piece, Om. Location based advertising services will certainly become very attractive.
They can throw in Wimax or Flarion WBB and take out more coverage.
So Google is the next CARRIER based on advertising revenue, so that subscribers get free access. A la, the TV model.
Wow, incredible.
Thanks OM.
Om,
Is the date on your article (1900) some sort of inside joke, or just a bug?
Also, Om, do you remember Winfire? I would be interested in hearing your memories of that failed national free DSL service.
Location based advertising: YES (but in an unobtrusive way)!
But blanket the world with WiFi? It is a LONG way from SF Union Square to the whole world. I would be rather surprised about that move being part of Google’s strategy.
Also google is investing on BPLs. So the idea is for everyone to connect to “Google Grid” which can be accessed through Google browser from anywhere in the world.
Store, share, stream your files with anyone.
The other interesting aspect of having broad Wi-Fi access with location capabilities built in is the potential to create a kind of Google Desktop for your like, i.e., the ability to create your own private, searchable index to every place that you have been and seen within the physical coverage area of the network (assuming you have had your Wi-Fi device with you and on at the time). The privacy issues are significant to say the least, but the potential value to the end user is immense… And it would be very easy to embed massive amounts of virtual information into locations without having to use something like ShotCode.com.
Google is simply taking advantage of the low costs of fibre now to reduce their overall bandwidth costs and i dont think free Wi-Fi is in google’s plan !
Now all we need is Google and Apple to merge to be the ultimate competitor to Microsoft. This would create some real competition and potentially drive the market. Maybe now that Steve is selling a multi-button mouse, he might aso be open to this.
Somebody, please make it happen. Thanks in advance (even if I’m only dreaming). :)
this is just so needed. I’m sicking of having to juggle all these various WiFi ISP’s and what not. The current situation is like the old days of the cellular industry where you had a guide to show you all the analog roaming partners and there rates. a pain in the as!@#$.
Om,
I have to ask; has anybody run the numbers on this? I mean it is one thing for Google to buy a few strands of dark fiber and light them, even light them with WDM switches and then use WiMAX or Flarion to back haul thousands of WiFi AP’s to what? Will Google also become an Internet Cloud? Peer with Above.net? UU.net?
We’re talking about a lot of traffic here. Granted Google, as one of the most heavily trafficked properties on the web knows something about bandwidth, but taking care of your own infrastructure is a far cry from providing free WiFi to the world. (or even all the major US cities).
In fact, this whole idea got me thinking. So much so that I’ve devoted a more comprehensive post…rant if you will…to it at the Mobile Weblog.
In any case, I don’t necessarily disbelieve you, I respect and enjoy your ideas far too much, it just seems to me that there are a lot of unanswered questions about Google and these tend to be extrapolated to their most massive possible conclusion.
-Oliver Starr “stitch”
http://www.mobile-weblog.com
A national free GoogleNet raises some scary Orwellian prospects, see more detail here: http://thinklocal.blogspot.com/2005/08/googlenet-echoes-of-orwell.html
Google could give away even more (all voice, hardware, TV service, etc.) and in exchange you give them increasingly uncomfortable amounts of personal data. At the other end of the revenue model, you pay for the services you pay for now (i.e. voice, hardware, tv, etc.) and you receive certain privacy guarantees and more commercial-free programming with every dollar your spend.
It creates an interesting dichotomy to be sure…
Well,
i think the plan of google is the right way to show the rest of the world how a company can make it! My personal opinion about Google as a company is very lucky and myself uses google more than one time every day. Google is a synergie effect of many things who people needs. The most important point about google is, that this company is listening to his users and not so many to the other companys. Look at microsoft, billy sure thinks, that many million dollars fly away trought the google concept, which can earned by microsoft.
I think, let google go his way. It will be the right way!
Regards
Shade