SPOTLIGHT: Location, location, location

Why would Google bid on offering San Francisco 300 Kbps free WiFi? Glenn Fleishman writes that the company is interested in providing location-specific searches and advertising. Such local advertising represents about 35 percent of print and broadcast advertising dollars spent in the US. By providing a free WiFi network, Google could also offer localized searches and advertising to both desk-bound and mobile users. Thus Google would win advertising dollars not just from national companies but also from coffee shops and other local merchants. Analysis