Google Donates $600,000 For Free WiFi In San Francisco Parks
Google has deep pockets--so deep that the company can drop $600,000 to set up free WiFi hotspots in 31 San Francisco parks, just because. Google will also throw in two year’s worth of maintenance costs, which look to be about $25,000 per year.
Before San Francisco accepts Google’s gift, the city has to decide if it’s willing to pay for the annual maintenance; officials are likely more than happy to have the WiFi service, as it’s very much a hot tech city these days and would surely prefer to offer up that level of Internet access at popular places.
Mission Dolores Park
Reuters says that proposed areas to get the free WiFi include Mission Dolores Park, Alamo Square, Washington Square, Portsmouth Square (in Chinatown), and the Tenderloin Recreation Area.
To be clear, Google would not own nor operate the WiFi network--it’s not some extension of its Google Fiber rollouts or anything--the money is simply a gift to the city. If approved, buildout could begin as early as December, with a completion date sometime in the middle of 2014.
Before San Francisco accepts Google’s gift, the city has to decide if it’s willing to pay for the annual maintenance; officials are likely more than happy to have the WiFi service, as it’s very much a hot tech city these days and would surely prefer to offer up that level of Internet access at popular places.
Mission Dolores Park
Reuters says that proposed areas to get the free WiFi include Mission Dolores Park, Alamo Square, Washington Square, Portsmouth Square (in Chinatown), and the Tenderloin Recreation Area.
To be clear, Google would not own nor operate the WiFi network--it’s not some extension of its Google Fiber rollouts or anything--the money is simply a gift to the city. If approved, buildout could begin as early as December, with a completion date sometime in the middle of 2014.
