[Mpls] Google's Free WiFi

[Timothy J. Salo]

> Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2005 23:08:24 -0500 (CDT)
> From: "Timothy J. Salo"
> Subject: Re: [Mpls] Broadband Availability?
> 	[...]
> > The end of for-fee basic Internet access is near. Google has bid on  
> > San Francisco's citywide wireless - 300 kbps anywhere in the city for  
> > FREE, and wholesale access sold to competing service providers (how  
> > 'bout that - more than a choice between the cable company or the  
> > phone company). Minneapolis shouldn't accept anything less.
> > 
> > http://gigaom.com/2005/09/30/google-confirms-san-francisco-wifi-plans/ 
> > #more-5153

This article in the San Franscisco Chronicle says that "Google Inc. has
offered to blanket San Franscisco with free wireless Internet access at
no cost to the city..."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/01/MNGG9F16KG1.DTL

This will be a _very_ interesting experiment to watch.

o	It demonstrates how quickly things can change dramatically in
	Internet markets.

o	It may make municipal investment in citywide WiFi networks
	more difficult, (e.g., "Why don't we just wait for Google?").
	Or, to respond to the original writer's quip, perhaps 
	"Minneapolis shouldn't pay anything more."

o	If San Franscisco _doesn't_ accept Google's offer, we will
	all want to know why.

o	Over the longer term, it will be really interesting to see
	how well this model works.

CNET also has a nice collection of articles about municipal WiFi:

	http://news.com.com/2009-7351_3-5888529.html

-tjs