Google getting into hotspots?

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 27 September 2005 14:06

IT Industry - Strategy

Speculation is mounting that Google is planning a massive rollout of WiFi access points across the US. with some reports suggesting it will offer free access.

Rumours of the plan have been circulating since July when some Internet users found software on Google's website that allows access to a service called Google WiFi.

They gathered strength earlier this month after the company admitted that it has begun a limited test of a free wireless Internet service, called Google WiFi at two public sites near the company's Mountain View, California, headquarters - a pizza parlour and a gym.

Reuters quoted Google spokesman, Nate Tyler, saying "At this stage in development, we're focused on collecting feedback from users. We'll determine next steps as the product evolves."

The news comes in the wake of reports that Google is planning what would amount to its own private Internet, on a global scale, leading one UK consultancy, BWCS,  to comment: "the truth is that the giant corporation, which recently launched its own VoIP client, known as Google Talk, has the capital and intellectual resources to do just about anything it wants to."

Google WIFI is certainly generating massive interest: a search on the phrase (on Google) drew close to 350,000 references.