Google Offering Free Wi-Fi in Manhattan

Following their deal to roll out high speed fiber internet access in Kansas city two years ago, search giant Google has recently announced that it will be rolling out free Wi-Fi to select parts of the city of Manhattan. Their free Wi-Fi service will be deployed in select public places and outdoor areas.

At a press event for the announcement, New York Senator Charles Schumer said, “Each day access to the Internet becomes more and more important to finding a good job or getting a good education, and this neighborhood-wide wireless network will provide that resource to hundreds of thousands.”

Additionally, he stated that the wireless network will help build New York’s reputation for technological development, and attract businesses to the area. To carry this ambitious plan out, the company has partnered up with the Chelsea Improvement Company, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and the New York Department of Information Technology and Telecommunication.

The service will be deployed in the Chelsea area of New York, where Google’s offices are located, and will be similar to the program currently running in Mountain View, California, where its main headquarters are based.

About two years ago, hoping to spark innovation and drive growth in the industry, Google launched a high-speed fiber optic network in the city of Kansas that delivered 1 Gbit/sec download speeds to select residents of the city.

Google intends to roll out similar networks to other cities across America.