Google Startup Aims to Bring Fast, Free Wi-Fi to Cities

Sidewalk Labs, the Google-backed urban innovation startup unveiled this month, has picked its first project—bringing free, fast Wi-Fi to cities around the world.

Today it announced it is leading a group of investors acquiring Control Group and Titan, among the companies working on the LinkNYC network to blanket New York City with free, superfast Wi-Fi. The two have merged to form Intersection, which will oversee the rollout of LinkNYC this fall and then seek to install similar technology in other cities.

Come September, tall, thin pillars with digital tablet interfaces and large ads slapped on the sides will begin to replace New York’s derelict pay phone booths. In addition to offering free wireless Internet access to anyone in a 150-foot radius, they will include amenities like free phone charging, phone calling, Internet browsing, and access to local services and information.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-23/google-startup-aims-to-bring-fast-free-wi-fi-to-cities