Filed under: Business, Internet, Web services, Google
Google celebrates its first year of WiFi
It's been a year since the folks at Google successfully knocked off WiFi in Mountain View California. Transmitting all those great 802.11 b/g signals to the grateful residents, businesses and visitors at absolutely no charge at all. They are still trucking along on the San Francisco wireless deal with EarthLink and the city to give all residents free connections to the internet, but who knows when that will all be resolved.Nevertheless, Google is on a mission to provide top notch WiFi networks, but what exactly does it take? Well, in Mountain View there are over 400 mesh routers that cover 12 square miles and 25,000 homes, with 15,000 unique users per month. Traffic over this free network has risen 10% every month and handles 300 gigabytes of data each day and 95% of the routers are being used every single day.
Here's to hoping that Google someday manages to blanket San Francisco, and a few other cities with WiFi.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
John Focht said 10:23AM on 8-27-2007
RE: blog vote August 27, 2007
New Orleans? Are you serious? I love the city and her people, but you must be joking - given the long list of cities you have overlooked.
The options you gave include in order of size rank in the U.S.:
2 Los Angeles
1 New York
43 Miami
3 Chicago
__ London, UK
83 New Orleans
26 Denver
9 Dallas
11 Detroit
23 Seattle
__ Toronto
__ Vancouver
__ Bangalore, India
__ Dublin, Ireland
__ Mexico City
Domestically, how about Houston(4)? Or Phoenix(5), Philadelphia(6) or San Antonio(7)? What about San Diego(8), San Jose(10), or Jacksonville, Florida(12)?
I suggest that you redo your list; have one for U.S. cities, and one for foreign cities. And as a bare minimum, include the top 10 - by size - in each category. You can add others if you wish, but at least cover the top ten.
Here's a link for the U.S. list:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_cities_in_the_US
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Chris Gilmer said 10:28AM on 8-27-2007
John Focht - Why should the list be focused on the largest cities in the US?
This list of 15 cities is a random look around the world. Included in this list are even some cities with large Google offices.
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Chris Moroz said 10:32AM on 8-27-2007
I voted for Bangalore. I figured if they're gonna take my job they might as well take my internet.
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niclet said 1:56PM on 8-27-2007
Montreal ;)
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padieg said 2:58PM on 8-27-2007
Buenos Aires :)
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Mysterius said 5:26PM on 8-27-2007
What, no "my hometown" option? :P
I voted for New York. It'll probably give Google the most attention, out of all the cities. Though I reckon it would be a real challenge to do.
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GIR-kun said 10:04PM on 8-27-2007
I agree, Montreal should get some free internet. our internet plans suck here.
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Dean said 10:06PM on 8-27-2007
How about Sydney, Australia ?
A nice, flat, compactish city ;)
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Elliott Cost said 10:13PM on 8-27-2007
How about Hawaii!
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Cameron said 10:13PM on 8-27-2007
I would love to vote, but you see unless i can actaully vote for where i live, i just dont care!
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Rein Masamuri said 10:32PM on 8-27-2007
@Chris Gilmer
"2. John Focht - Why should the list be focused on the largest cities in the US?"
Because they're based in the U.S.: it would be easier and cheaper.
I'd love to see them branch out as a massive ISP internationally but I doubt they'd throw some up in Mountain View, then London, then Tokyo, then Cario.
Canada I can see being more possible, and Mexico might be a HUGE thing, but they're still working out the model and I doubt they'd expand internationally when they're just getting the feel of the U.S. climate.
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James Torrence said 10:33PM on 8-27-2007
Um John, it's an informal poll meant to generate talking points. Citing it's fairness is absurd.
My vote is for Possum Creek, Tennessee.
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Rafael Montano said 10:36PM on 8-27-2007
Google get San Diego on the Map!
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random dude said 10:45PM on 8-27-2007
New York, Chicago and Vancouver make the most sense, with dense cores. Cities that are really spread out won't work as well.
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john said 10:47PM on 8-27-2007
no Boston in there?
would be easier to implement... just a thought
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Andrew said 11:10PM on 8-27-2007
I agree that Montreal would be a great location. Toronto already has Ontario Hydro building a wifi network in the downtown core...
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Evan David Light said 11:24PM on 8-27-2007
Washington, D.C.! Show those numbnuts in Congress some contemporary technoloy. The internet is "not just a big truck"! Run those "tubes" to Capital Hill!
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samuel said 11:40PM on 8-27-2007
Sydney, Australia.
It's the largest city in Australia, and definitely could do with a Google WiFi service.
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Australian said 11:52PM on 8-27-2007
Sydney, Australia PLEASE!
PRETTY PLEASE? Okay maybe not, how about now... please?
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Matt said 11:55PM on 8-27-2007
that would be sick if they came to chicago. Would chagne to T-mobile and get that phone that gets unlimited calls over wifi for an extra ten bucks. god i hope they win that bid and setup a network across the nation and wholesale it to people.
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