GoogleNet - Free WiFi In The US?

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.business2.com/b2/web/articles/0,17863,1093558,00.html">http://www.business2.com/b2/web/articles/0,17863,1093558,00.html</a><br /><br /><i>"What if Google 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? "</i><br /><br />According to the article, Google has been quitely gobbling up so-called dark, or unused, fiber, and they have already been involved in helping set up some WiFi hotspots. Could Google blanket the US with WiFi?

[Clinton Fitch]

Great Article - and an interesting scenario...

This would change the ISP landscape but that change is already taking place in some parts of the country. I know of several cities here in the Dallas area that are offering free wi-fi in various locations throughout the cities, mostly in the downtown areas. To take that and make it national is a huge under taking and I wouldn't even want to think of the logistics on it. 8O

That said, I use to work for a telco who's name begins with SBC. There is literally miles and miles of "dark" fiber not being used with no intention of use in and around Dallas. If SBC or whatever other Bell is making that available cheaply (including these bankruptcy's in the article), I could see where Google could do this for far less than they could say three years ago. Obviously the company is driven: Does anyone "Yahoo that for me." anymore? Nope, you Google it....

[jngold_me]

And what if it had technology capable of targeting advertising to a user’s precise location?

Does anybody else (besides me) find the above statement a little disturbing?

[Paragon]

And what if it had technology capable of targeting advertising to a user’s precise location?

Does anybody else (besides me) find the above statement a little disturbing?

It shouldn't....it's happening to you now. ;)

Dave

[CTSLICK]

Oct 21, 2006 Google switches on its nationwide WiFi network

Oct 22 Google becomes sentient using an odd combination of ultimate connectivity, web crawling bots, Google AdSense and GoogleEarth along with all of the bits and pieces of knowledge its touched from saved Google email, cached search results (both desktop and internet) and even BlogSpot.

8O :lol:

OK, pure FUD and conspiracy but one has to admit Google is racing to know all, see all and be all. Its stunning to watch as the mass and inertia builds.

[genius74]

And what if it had technology capable of targeting advertising to a user’s precise location?

Does anybody else (besides me) find the above statement a little disturbing?

It shouldn't....it's happening to you now. ;)

Dave

That still shouldn't take away from it being distrubing.... :|

[Paragon]

And what if it had technology capable of targeting advertising to a user’s precise location?

Does anybody else (besides me) find the above statement a little disturbing?

It shouldn't....it's happening to you now. ;)

Dave

That still shouldn't take away from it being distrubing.... :|

You're right. I should have said that it shouldn't be a surprise.

[ricksfiona]

Yes, this gives me a bit of of Orwellian. National WiFi is cool, but I don't want to be tracked either.

[bigray327]

Yes, this gives me a bit of of Orwellian. National WiFi is cool, but I don't want to be tracked either.
That's a little dramatic, don't you think? Reality check: nobody cares about you specifically, or your ATM PIN. They care about pushing a Starbuck's ad out to you while you're passing a Starbuck's. Stuff like that.

If it means national WiFi access, I for one welcome our new Google overlords. :)

[dMores]

man, google is really ambitious.

i'm just waiting for the day when it specialists will be admitted to mental institutions because they claim to be "sent back in time to prevent google from taking over the world" :)

seriously, free wifi access across the country would be phenomenal ... but since nothing in life is free, there will definately be some kind of drawback.

[Paragon]

If it means national WiFi access, I for one welcome our new Google overlords. :)

Yeah, I would too, but I just can't ever see this happening, for free. The telco's won't allow it to happen.....No way...there is just to much profit to be lost if they did.

Dave

[CTSLICK]

If it means national WiFi access, I for one welcome our new Google overlords. :)

Yeah, I would too, but I just can't ever see this happening, for free. The telco's won't allow it to happen.....No way...there is just to much profit to be lost if they did.

Dave

I'm not convinced the telcos can move quickly enough to stop it. Half of them are still trying to get DSL right (if I am to judge by the experience of my friends in this area anyway). Besides, isn't the point that Google is buying up unused fiber to run their own network.

[Ed Hansberry]

I'm not convinced the telcos can move quickly enough to stop it.
I am not convinced the telcos have enough of a clue to realize this is a problem for them.

Landline free since 2004.

[Paragon]

I am not convinced the telcos have enough of a clue to realize this is a problem for them.

Regardless of what anyone of us wants to say about them, they still have to know something is up when someone like Google is offering to buy up all there old "dark" fiber. There must be more to this. Why do they need massive amounts of fiber to put up Wide Area WiFi anyway?

Dave

[iamchocolatemilk]

From what that article said, it doesn't sound like they "need" the fiber to establish a national blanket of wifi, it would just eliminate an exponential amount of costs as they grow. Once they have fiber in a particular area, they wouldn't have to any middlemen. Also if someone was only accessing a Google service, say Google TV, it would be free minus the server spitting them out the 4 o'clock news.


Yes?

[ctmagnus]

But... bigbrother.com doesn't redirect to google.com...

:confused totally:

:wink:

[Anthony Caruana]

I assume many of you have seen this (http://www.robinsloan.com/epic/)

While it's very creative it is mainly FUD.

That said, Google's monstrous growth is something to think about. I'm not saying we should be concerned but how would we feel if some other massive company with the ability to search email, monitor our web usage, index our PCs and now establish a massive WLAN was doing what Google's doing?

The real question is what is Google's motivation? Does their "do no evil" mantra still prevail? Can we trust a company that now server a new master - their public shareholders?

No looking for a flame war - just wondering what people think.

[bjornkeizers]

My reaction should come as no surprise to everyone: I would love for Google to offer free WiFi everywhere. Tomorrow, the US - next week: The WORLD!

While the conspiracy people certainly have a point and provide an amusing counter to our geeky attitude, I really don't see a big problem with it at this point in time. In fact, I see some benefits!

I'm constantly being bombarded with ads that are utterly useless to me. Right now, I see a verizon ad on the left hand side of the screen and a vonage ad banner on top. They are of no use to me.

But if I'm downtown, I would love to know if my jeweller has some interesting new watches in stock, or if the department store two blocks down is having a huge sale. That is something that directly targets me, my interests, and my location. Those are ads that actually benefit me, as opposed to the useless verizon ad that's taking up space and mockingly sucking up the bandwidth that I paid for...

[dMores]

Tomorrow, the US - next week: The WORLD!let's start with europe, instead of going after the world all at once.
hey, i'm in europe.
cool !

;)

[Phoenix]

If it means national WiFi access, I for one welcome our new Google overlords. :)

...The telco's won't allow it to happen.....No way...

Dave

Nein!!! Google ihz alzo forming ein massive ahhhrmee of little sneaky guys zat vill crush zoes who dare oppose zem!!!

[dMores]

ja, das uber-wifi !

roflmao

:lol:

[bjornkeizers]

Nein!!! Google ihz alzo forming ein massive ahhhrmee of little sneaky guys zat vill crush zoes who dare oppose zem!!!

You really need a visual to go with it.



http://www.columbia.edu/itc/tc/cstudies/imagesequence/dr_strangelove_3/strangelove_3_14.jpg

Nein!!! Google ihz alzo forming ein massive ahhhrmee of little sneaky guys zat vill crush zoes who dare oppose zem!!!

Today's visual aid brought to you by Google image search!

[Phillip Dyson]

I am not convinced the telcos have enough of a clue to realize this is a problem for them.

Regardless of what anyone of us wants to say about them, they still have to know something is up when someone like Google is offering to buy up all there old "dark" fiber. There must be more to this. Why do they need massive amounts of fiber to put up Wide Area WiFi anyway?

Dave

I'm sure the telcos know exactly whats going on. Or about as much as we do. They certainly jumped to action when Philadephia was going to offer municipal wifi. Not sure if that is going forward or not.

We always speculate that these "smartphones" are coming out with slow processors to prevent Voip.

Its also possible that the telcos are making deals when they sell Google the dark fibre (can I spell it that way?).

telco: "Sure we'll sell you the lines, cheap. But whats in it for us? How about a percentage. We'll even maintain the lines for you." {commence wringing hands and }

[applejosh]

Just a funny (that deals with Google in general).

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/40076

[emuelle1]

That is hilarious.