• by July 19, 2007

Stepping up its efforts in a delivery platform also being eyed by Google, Microsoft has selected mobile ad network JiWire to deliver ads to municipal WiFi networks in Portland, OR and Oakland County, MI.

For these and other municipal networks, Microsoft will provide local content, including a customized MSN landing page and search capabilities, and also share in the ad revenues.

The Oakland network, run by MichTel Communications, is said to be the nation's largest planned WiFi deployment, covering 910 square miles and 1.2 million people. MetroFi operates the Portland system.

Users will get free service in exchange for viewing full-screen ads from Ultramercial before they hit the MSN landing page. JiWire said it will also provide other ad formats.

JiWire said its hotspot registry allows it to target ads by location.

The company plans to charge CPMs between $35 and $150, according to reports on Computerworld.com and news.com.

Google has teamed up with the WiFi network planned for San Francisco, where JiWire is based.