Google and partner EarthLink, Inc. have been acknowledged as the front runners in the bid to build a Wi-Fi network in San Francisco, a city panel said. At the panel's recommendation, the city can now
begin negotiations with the companies, which decided to team together earlier this year after initially bidding against each other. The companies will share the cost of building the network, which is
expected to cost $15 million. EarthLink says it will charge about $20 per month for access at speeds the company says will be four to five times faster than Google's free service, which you can expect
will be financed by lots and lots of text and banner ads. Google's service is still expected to be faster than a dial-up modem, making San Francisco the largest city in the U.S. with free Internet
access throughout its borders. Philadelphia, while a larger city, is planning to charge a fee for its citywide Wi-Fi network, which is being built by EarthLink. Other cities planning Wi-Fi networks
include Chicago, Minneapolis, and New Orleans. New York and Boston are also investigating the possibility. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who first proposed a free Wi-Fi network in October 2004,
hopes the service will be up and running by year's end.
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