Mountain View, CA Residents Get Free Wi-Fi Through Google

In Mountain View, CA, select residents are getting a taste of free wireless Internet service through Google’s new Wi-Fi network: Google Wi-Fi. This service, which is available in a 12 square-mile wireless network within the city limits, is currently being tested by several hundred “trial” subjects. Google, however, plans to make free wireless Internet access available to all Mountain View residents by the end of the summer.

Google is providing the service free of charge to help understand emerging technologies and to attract customers to the service.

How the Service Works

Through an agreement with the city, Google has deployed transmitters on over 350 light poles throughout the city and will serve roughly 70,000 customers in it's 12-mile radius. The device allows users within 500 feet to connect to the Internet wirelessly. It works by sending data from transmitter to transmitter until it reaches the Google campus. From there, the data is aggregated and then sent onto the Internet.

Once the service is fully operational, users will log on using a gmail account. This will allow the company to monitor any problems which may occur. Google will not be offering individual user support; however they are in the midst of developing extensive user support self-help pages, which will eventually be available on its Web site.

The network is designed for outdoor use at speeds of up to 1 megabit per second. Residents are encouraged to enjoy the service from city parks, cafes, and other public venues. While GoogleWi-Fi is not recommended for indoor use, and users are not encouraged to discontinue their cable modem or DSL service, Wi-Fi users can purchase an additional extended modem for roughly $100.

Additional Proposed Free Wi-Fi Services

According to a recent article published on Mercurynews.com, proposals to bring Wi-Fi Internet access to the entire 1,500 square miles of Silicon Valley were released to the public. Six of the seven proposals were recently released, and a seventh, by Cisco Systems, IBM, Azulstar and SeaKay, was just made public.

One such proposal suggested offering free Wi-Fi Internet access with up to 256 kilobits per second of data transfer, which is comparable to dial-up service, with faster speeds made available for a fee.