San Francisco to get free WiFi

Jimmy 2004 · Jan 6, 2007

Rumours of a deal between search giant Google and internet service provider EarthLink have been around for some time, but the two companies have only just confirmed that a deal has been finalised. The agreement will "enable EarthLink to build a citywide wireless network and allow Google to provide free internet access" in San Francisco. It is estimated that one million people should benefit from this deal which ought to start rolling out in the near future, with Google hoping "to see the service go live as soon as possible." EarthLink is also planning a fee-based service, although not all the details are available about this yet. So this should be good news for most people in San Francisco, however it isn't clear if there are any downsides to this deal. If it proves to be successful, Google could well spread its wireless service to other parts of the globe.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

ghost101 · Jan 6, 2007

Damn thats so cool. Take your laptop anywhere and youll always be connected. Wifi palm devices, Sony psps even?

What could the downsides be? Any connection faster than 256 is fine for most things, and having a few ads isnt exactly a break from the norm as far as the internet goes anyway.

EviLZeD · Jan 6, 2007

hehe whoever lives there are lucky free internet

it would possibly spread

Jimmy 2004 · Jan 7, 2007

ghost101 said:
Damn thats so cool. Take your laptop anywhere and youll always be connected. Wifi palm devices, Sony psps even?

What could the downsides be? Any connection faster than 256 is fine for most things, and having a few ads isnt exactly a break from the norm as far as the internet goes anyway.

Not sure - I was wondering if advertising would somehow be integrated into it - ie forcing you to a page with ads before you can start your browsing. Plus some people might argue it's a health risk... but I'm not sure what else could be bad about it, Google probably has some plan to make a profit from it.

evil bill · Jan 7, 2007

yeah, you will need to register even for a free service so thats where they'll get access to you for ads etc. Still, small price to pay.

EastCoasthandle · Jan 7, 2007

How is this a good thing? You still have to buy the equipment even if you cannot afford monthly fee... And some have no clue what they need...

xylomn · Jan 7, 2007

well wifi adapters are not very expensive now and a lot more laptops are now coming with it built in so I suppost it wont be too much of a problem...

I love the idea behind it though

overcast · Jan 7, 2007

EastCoasthandle said:
How is this a good thing? You still have to buy the equipment even if you cannot afford monthly fee... And some have no clue what they need...

If they can not afford it, or even have a clue at what they need. Then they DON'T need it.

EastCoasthandle · Jan 7, 2007

Maybe they will add some sort of incentive. "If you buy this equipment you get free wifi access to the internet" or something like that. That way the public is more informed. I remember when getting access to the internet was free (before colleges offered it). However, you needed software and a local phone number to use. Back then if you didn't know someone you simply couldn't find the information needed to get started.

Track · Jan 7, 2007

And what does Google get in return?

WarEagleAU · Jan 7, 2007

Ads will get Google the money to make this free. Everyone of us click on some ad just to see it. Clicking earns them money so...thats what they get. This is pretty cool to get free WIFI in the home and such. Here in Alabama, we get free Wifi at our jobs (but company use only) Krystals ::rofl:: and Hotels.

Track · Jan 7, 2007

How are they going to show the ads?

newtekie1 · Jan 7, 2007

I believe Google has already been beta testing this. Though the speeds have been a little on the slow side from what I have heard from a few friends that have been using it. The only guarentee that you will get connected at a maximum of 1mb/s. However, the actual speeds are closer to 128kb/s, but hey it is free.(And yes I mean bits not bytes.)

EastCoasthandle said:
How is this a good thing? You still have to buy the equipment even if you cannot afford monthly fee... And some have no clue what they need...

It is Wifi, not special equipment needed from what I have heard(this has been in beta testing already). If people can figure out how to connect to the starbuck's wireless I don't think they will have a problem with this.

Track said:
How are they going to show the ads?

My guess would be that they will bring up a page when you first connect to it, sort of how a lot of airports and hotels do it.

Track · Jan 7, 2007

So google is going to bring free internet to every inch on the globe? Thats amazing.

ktr · Jan 7, 2007

Jimmy 2004 said:
Rumours of a deal between search giant Google and internet service provider EarthLink have been around for some time, but the two companies have only just confirmed that a deal has been finalised. The agreement will “enable EarthLink to build a citywide wireless network and allow Google to provide free internet access” in San Francisco. It is estimated that one million people should benefit from this deal which ought to start rolling out in the near future, with Google hoping “to see the service go live as soon as possible.” EarthLink is also planning a fee-based service, although not all the details are available about this yet. So this should be good news for most people in San Francisco, however it isn’t clear if there are any downsides to this deal. If it proves to be successful, Google could well spread its wireless service to other parts of the globe.

Source: Engadget

damn! only 30 miles away...grrr, i wonder if i can make a uber high power antenna...but i guess the power bill be over the cost of free being worth it...

this is not new for the bayarea...things like:

metrofi

google for there home city...mountain view

community based Alameda wireless...

etc...

free wifi for all ftw! :rockout:

also SF already had a pretty decent community based free wifi in certain parts of residential downtown.

Jimmy 2004 · Jan 7, 2007

Track said:
So google is going to bring free internet to every inch on the globe? Thats amazing.

Not yet, but maybe one day. It'll depend on how well it goes in SF to see if they decide to spread it to other areas, and even then it will only be in major cities for the first ten or so years.

ktr · Jan 7, 2007

Jimmy 2004 said:
Not yet, but maybe one day. It'll depend on how well it goes in SF to see if they decide to spread it to other areas, and even then it will only be in major cities for the first ten or so years.

its doing pretty good in mountain view, California.

Track · Jan 7, 2007

What abt GPRS or Radio trasmitted Internet? It cant be slower than this Wifi thing. All phones use it and it dosent cost very much. And u can use it anywhere u want.

EastCoasthandle · Jan 7, 2007

ktr said:
damn! only 30 miles away...grrr, i wonder if i can make a uber high power antenna...but i guess the power bill be over the cost of free being worth it...

this is not new for the bayarea...things like:

metrofi

google for there home city...mountain view

community based Alameda wireless...

etc...

free wifi for all ftw!

also SF already had a pretty decent community based free wifi in certain parts of residential downtown.

I've read about people make all kinds of ghetto wifi antenna.
http://www.google.com/search?q=ghet...s=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a
The only thing is that you have to build a pretty big antenna

Jimmy 2004 · Jan 7, 2007

Track said:
What abt GPRS or Radio trasmitted Internet? It cant be slower than this Wifi thing. All phones use it and it dosent cost very much. And u can use it anywhere u want.

GPRS is slower than something like this would be - it has a similar speed to dialup in most cases IIRC... plus it isn't free!

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San Francisco to get free WiFi

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