Google As Your (Free) Broadband Provider?

[subvertman]

Rather than the Google-iTunes rumors, how about a Google as your broadband provider rumor instead? That seems to be the gist of Om Malik's latest Business 2.0 column, where he discusses the possibility of Google offering free, ad-supported, WiFi around the country (I'm assuming it's his latest article because he just linked to it on his blog -- according to Biz 2.0, the article was published on January 1, 1900). It seems to pick up on the blown out of proportion rumors from earlier this year about how Google was starting a VoIP offering because they were looking for someone who could set do some deals for some dark fiber. While there are plenty of reasons why Google might want some dark fiber that have nothing to do with offering either VoIP or free WiFi (making the story highly speculative), it's still an interesting idea. It still does seem a little far out there, but something about it does fit with the Google vision of the world (even if it does echo of silly dot com bombs of years past). Still, after everyone started freaking out that the FCC's latest ruling would kill all broadband competition, it would be nice to see at least someone else jump in with a totally different business model in mind, just to shake things up a bit.

[Spartan Erik]

GoogleNet is going to be more or less WiFi, but I think I'll stick my ISP and stay away from public terminals.

i couldnt agree more; id rather trust my own paid isp than use googlenet
but hey who knows, maybe widespread use of googlenet will drive down dsl/cable/dialup costs even more? that would be interesting..

[chaganlal1]

Well public terminals arent a bad thign im sure google has a way for that. I am sure it would be great ISP because of their expreience. But im still sticking to my fast local area network.

[Bryon]

I think that Google is planning something very very large, and if it goes through, will change a lot of things in the "technological world".

There's a lot of these rumors going around about Google, I would think a few of them have a little truth to them. I guess we'll all just have to wait though and find out what's going to happen.

[dsfreak]

Well, as I read it, it sounds like it would be anywhere in the US, not just hotspot like locations. Or, maybe it would be a massive router in each (rather large) city? That would be awesome, and even though I have Qwest, I would still use it more, espically if it was faster!

Cons: It might go down a lot if people were always download "things" espically if they contained viruses, or if ppl tried to hack it.

[Vietkid58]

google seems to be taking over everything... although i would still pay for my own ISP untill they fully secure the google wifi stuff... however, competion = lower costs for consumers =)

[MicrotechXP]

Yeah Google is going to be taking over everything. I can't wait to see this if this happens!

[rainboiboi]

Theres always a downside to these free stuff. And for this, its the ADs. Yucks. I hate them. Would rather pay for the clean and ads-free service. Ads are just wasting time. No offence. :happy:

[Spartan Erik]

www.google-watch.org

i bet google is truly planning a big scheme to doom us all
but hey i have to admit the benefits for now are quite nice