Google Offers Free Wi-Fi to Its Hometown

Google Offers Free Wi-Fi to Its Hometown

Written By
Carmen Nobel
Carmen Nobel
Nov 11, 2005
1 minute read
eWeek content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More

Search engine giant Google Inc. on Thursday sent a letter to the mayor of its home city of Mountain View, Calif., proposing to bring free Wi-Fi service to the city.

“Google is in a unique position to offer free access to the Internet, since we have the ability to subsidize and earn revenue indirectly when these Wi-Fi users get on the Internet and access our and our partner sites,” Minnie Ingersoll, a product manager at Google, said in the letter.

“We would like to work with a city that is close to our headquarters and supportive of this intent.”

/zimages/6/28571.gifClick hereto read why political columnist Chris Nolan thinks Google Wi-Fi would have a big impact.

Google plans to propose the free service in a Mountain View City Council meeting on Nov. 15.

Proposed plans call for a mesh network, with 20 to 30 access points per square mile, installed on light poles or traffic lights.

/zimages/6/94222.jpgGoogle made a similar city-wide proposal to San Francisco in September. Currently the company is running trial services in a few locations in the Bay Area as well as in Rockefeller Center in New York.

/zimages/6/28571.gifCheck out eWEEK.coms for the latest news, reviews and analysis on mobile and wireless computing.

eWeek Logo

eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site's focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.