Wireless access for all? Google plan would offer free Internet throughout SF

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>
Date: September 30, 2005 9:44:43 PM EDT
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <dewayne-net () warpspeed com>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] Wireless access for all? Google plan would  
offer free Internet throughout SF
Reply-To: dewayne () warpspeed com


Wireless access for all?
Google plan would offer free Internet throughout SF
- Verne Kopytoff and Ryan Kim, Chronicle Staff Writers
Friday, September 30, 2005
Google Inc. has proposed to blanket San Francisco with free wireless  
Internet access, placing a marquee name behind Mayor Gavin Newsom's  
effort to get all residents online whether they are at home, in a  
park or in a cafe.

The offer by the Mountain View search engine was one of many  
competing bids received by the city before its deadline Friday.  
Officials will now review the submissions and make a decision about  
which, if any, of the candidates get the green light for so-called Wi- 
Fi service.

In joining the competition, Google is showing yet another sign of its  
boundless ambition. In the past few months, the company has released  
a succession of new products including instant messaging and  
telephone service that take it further from its search engine roots.

The proposal furthers existing speculation that Google intends to  
create a free national Wi-Fi network. If so, it could pose a serious  
challenge to existing Internet service providers, such as SBC-Yahoo,  
Earthlink, Comcast and America Online, which charge subscriptions for  
wire connections.

"This is a great opportunity to provide a community service to the  
Bay Area," said Chris Sacca, who oversaw Google's wireless Internet  
bid in San Francisco. "This furthers the goal of providing access to  
all residents and visitors on as wide a scale as possible."

Mayor Newsom unveiled a goal of a free, city-wide Wi-Fi network last  
year as part of his state of the city address. Since then, officials  
have been weighing how to carry out despite a tight budget, finally  
asking for proposals from over the summer.

As part of its proposal, Google said it could do the job without  
charge to either the city or residents.

Google is a neophyte in wireless Internet access. It's experience is  
limited to tests at a gym and cafe near its headquarters and at  
Bryant Park, in New York City.

Separately, Google sponsors free Wi-Fi service in San Francisco's  
Union Square in conjunction with a local start-up, Feeva.

Competitors who submitted responses to the city's request for  
comments said Google's proposal is not entirely surprising. But they  
questioned the company's ability to follow through on its plans.

Donald Berryman, EVP and president of municipal networks for  
Earthlink, questioned if Google had the know-how to be an Internet  
service provider. He said providing the deal for free is also not  
sustainable in the long run.

"We've looked into free service and we haven't found a model where  
free works," said Berryman. "At some point free becomes less  
sustainable because there's no way to upgrade service and the  
networks when no one's paying for it."

Chuck Haas, CEO of MetroFi, which runs two wi-fi networks in  
Cupertino and Santa Clara, wondered if Google would be meet the  
city's goals for coverage.

But he said the idea of free service is not entirely far-fetched. He  
said his company submitted a proposal in which wireless broadband  
would be free across San Francisco but would be paid for with ads and  
would have no technical support or services for users. For $19.99 a  
month, subscribers would get enhanced service with no ads and  
customer support.

"I believe we'll have enough people that want full security and  
customer support with no ads that we could make money," Haas said.  
"But no matter who the city chooses, I don't think the city will have  
to pay for this network."

SBC spokesman John Britton said his company encourages competition,  
but feels that governments should seek greater investment from  
private companies to increase broadband service. He said in San  
Francisco's case, the city is already served by SBC and enjoys more  
than 400 free wi-fi hotspots, more than any other in the country.

"We feel there is already widespread broadband available today,"  
Britton said.

Vince Vasquez, a policy fellow with the Pacific Research Institute,  
which receives funding from SBC, said there has never been a company  
willing to volunteer this kind of a network. But even if it's free,  
it might represent too much involvement by the city in a sector that  
should left to private industries, he said.

"Our concern is with public money and publicly controlled internet  
access," said Vasquez. "We take a lot of caution about how government  
should intervene in the market."


URL: <http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/01/ 
GOOGLE.TMP>

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