Google to Give Out Free Wifi?
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Written By Reprise Media | August 15, 2005 | Share This
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Coming soon from Google: Free wireless for everyone.
Even though we know they could probably afford it, the idea still sounds a little far-fetched. However, doubters may be interested to know that some in the industry are calling it a very real possibility.
One such speculator is Om Malik, who has written a must-read article for Business 2.0 titled Free Wi-Fi? Get Ready for GoogleNet. In it Malik lays out his vision of how the organizer 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.”
Sound a little nutso? Well not really if you consider the ongoing rumors that Google is prepping for a national broadband network as tipped off by its large-scale purchases of fiber-optic cables and ultra-fast connections.
Then there’s the cost savings that could be realized by Google cutting out the middleman (i.e., traffic wholesalers like AboveNet) and dealing directly with ISPs. And don’t forget that free Wifi would put more users online more frequently, thereby allowing Google to serve more ads - and geotargeted ones at that.
The Pre-Commerce blog has some smart commentary as does Greg Sterling, who brings the happy news of potential blow to Starbucks bottom line. Too bad Google’s not in the coffee biz…
Topics: Google |