In the heart of Silicon Valley a revolution is about to take place. It could change the Universe as we know it. Don't laugh, this revolution will grab you by the short wires and turn your world upside down. It will affect your life and the lives of your children's children. It might just be the spark that changes everything... It all has to do with the Internet. Someone wants to give the Internet its wings. Get rid of all those wires and monthly bills. Set it free. Let it fly among the stars. Broadcast it out into the stratosphere. Or in other words, make it free for everyone. And it's about time. Are we talking about a free wireless Internet for the masses? Well, not exactly and not yet. But it's the start of such a concept that could quickly become a reality for many people very soon. It has to start somewhere and why not in Silicon Valley. Where else would you want to start a free wireless revolution but a place that really knows how to cash in its chips. And who else would you expect to lead this Internet Parade than Google; the all knowing, all seeing, omnipotent and undisputed ruler of the mighty cursor. Google wants to give free broadband Wi-Fi service to the small city of Mountain View, sometimes AKA-ed as the Capital of Silicon Valley. Located between the Santa Cruz Mountains and San Francisco Bay, Mountain View is home to around 72,000 young, vibrant and smart residents. The median age is 32.8 years old. Pure Google fodder. Google has proposed a system of providing free Wi-Fi via 300 transmitters on light poles which would virtually make the city one big hotspot. City leaders now have to decide if Google should get the go ahead for this free Internet. In its proposal, Google has plainly stated its own self-interest in such a system. "In our self-interest, we believe that giving more people the ability to access the Internet will drive more traffic to Google and hence more revenue to Google and its partner websites." Obviously, Google has everything to gain. Ad revenue and the Internet is its lifeblood. Why not expand that lifeblood. And why not make the Internet pay for itself. Why shouldn't it be free and ad supported -- cut out all those monthly ISP bills users now have to pay. Will the majority of Internet users be willing to give up their ISP bills for a few Google ads on webpages? In a heartbeat! Sure, there will be naysayers, all revolutions have them. Commercialism of the web is a totally bad road to traverse. Capitalism is wrong. But it's a moot argument, the web is already monetized up to the yin-yang. Users should get something back for a change. It might be totally in Google's self-interest to give people a free Internet but there's no denying that such a gesture would also be a way of sharing all that ad revenue. A free Internet that spans the Globe and beyond -- available to everyone. Such a system is probably a natural evolution. The Internet is already turning into a billion channel universe broadcasting its contents into the stratosphere. Why not give all this content some wings. Why not make this broadcasting system free and ad supported. There's a subtle democratic gesture in what Google is offering. Will people accept this offer or try to hold back evolution. Will they enable Google "to be a good corporate citizen and play a pioneering role in a public-private partnership to bridge the digital divide." Of course, this is just the start, if Google's Proposal flies, a free Internet will only be a click away. Today, Mountain View. Tomorrow, the Universe. Bring it on! I want my Free Internet! |
