Google Experiments with Sponsored Airport Wi-Fi in Orlando

Google is underwriting Orlando's existing free airport Wi-Fi: Google will pay Orlando International Airport $155,000 per year for two years, plus a split of advertising revenue in what Google describes as "in the spirit of experimentation." Orlando already offers free Wi-Fi, so this pilot project--so called to avoid bidding requirements during the test--supplements existing budgets rather than replaces paid session fees.

It's a neat partnership. Google will scatter "as many as" 50 kiosks for free Internet access around the airport, and put what the Orlando Sentinel describes as "faux-British telephone booths" for free international long-distance calls using Google Voice (with some limits).

The Wi-Fi service's splash page would promote and link to Google services focused on the airport. Google told the newspaper it's also developing mobile apps for airport information.

The fee structure is a guarantee of $125,000 per year for the first two years to cover session-based access, and Google advertising of at least $30,000 per year. Income from ads shown on pages over the Wi-Fi network and kiosks would be split with the airport as well. (Thanks to reader Herbert for the tip!)

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