Rumor: Google wants to subsidize the construction of Wi-Fi hotspots for millions of companies

Google plans to provide small and medium-sized businesses with hardware and software for building public hotspots at significant discounts, The Information claims. Users may need to sign in with their Google Account to use Wi-Fi.

In addition to providing the necessary hardware cheaply, Google would provide web-based services for the companies to manage the Wi-Fi networks from anywhere with internet access. Google would target millions of small and medium-sized businesses in both the US and abroad. This includes restaurants and gyms, but also doctors’ practices and libraries. The Information writes this on the basis of confidential documents and a source who is familiar with the project.

Users may need to sign in with their Google account to access the hotspots online. The aim of the company is to be able to map out the online behavior of users more, for the purpose of serving personalized advertisements. The group would be willing to share certain data with participating companies, so that they too can learn more about the behavior of customers. The project may start in the summer.

Earlier this year it became clear that Google also wants to give small and medium-sized companies the opportunity to connect to the Fiber optic fiber service. However, this concerns a pilot in the American city of Kansas City.