Google Offers To Unwire San Francisco

Google is one of more than a dozen organizations that have submitted bids in response to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s call for a citywide wireless Internet network. The network would provide free Internet access to anyone in the city. Google finds itself flush with more than $7 billion in cash after recent stock sales. Industry observers speculated that setting up a municipal wireless network in San Francisco could be the first step in a Google plan to establish such a network nationwide, though the company said it currently has no plans to expand beyond the Bay Area. Analysts said Google’s interest in facilitating increased Internet access directly serves the company’s goals of organizing the world’s information. In addition, providing Internet access to greater numbers of people means potentially more visitors to Google’s site, which would increase advertising revenues.

Wired News, 1 October 2005