Alphabet offers Orion Wi-Fi
Orion Wi-Fi lets venues use existing Wi-Fi to automatically connect visitors via participating carriers and monetize excess capacity.
Orion Wi-Fi lets venues use existing Wi-Fi to automatically connect visitors via participating carriers and monetize excess capacity.
Orion Wi-Fi is a Google platform that enables public venues—such as stores, offices, hospitals, and transit hubs—to offer seamless, automatic Wi-Fi connectivity to visitors on participating cellular carriers. Venues use their existing Passpoint-compatible Wi-Fi networks with no new hardware, while carriers can securely offload subscribers when coverage is sufficient.
The platform also provides venues with analytics about network quality and visitor connectivity, and it can generate revenue based on foot traffic and network performance. It is designed around the OpenRoaming and Passpoint standards and supports equipment from vendors including Cisco, Meraki, CommScope, Juniper Mist, and Fortinet.
Orion Wi-Fi works with existing commercial and enterprise Wi-Fi equipment from vendors including Cisco, Meraki, CommScope, Fortinet, and Juniper Mist, so venues avoid new hardware costs. It uses the Passpoint and OpenRoaming standards to authenticate subscribers automatically, removing the friction of captive portals.
Carriers can offload subscribers only when network quality meets their thresholds, preserving user experience. Venues gain a new revenue stream tied to foot traffic and network quality while retaining control of their networks.
Orion Wi-Fi launched in September 2020 as an Area 120 project, Google’s in-house incubator for experimental products. The announcement introduced a platform that lets public venues in the United States sell Wi-Fi capacity to cellular carriers.
At launch, Google Fi and Republic Wireless were among the first carriers, and partners included Cisco, CommScope RUCKUS, and Juniper Mist on the equipment side, plus Boingo, 5G LLC, GigaMonster, CA Ventures, and Single Digits for deployment.
Orion Wi-Fi is free for venues to deploy and can be self-configured in under an hour using existing Passpoint-compatible Wi-Fi networks. There are no upfront costs or long-term commitments for signing up.
Venues earn revenue based on foot traffic, network quality, and other factors when carriers choose to offload subscribers onto their Wi-Fi. Google orchestrates carrier relationships and settlements, so venues do not negotiate directly with individual carriers.
Orion Wi-Fi is a Google platform that helps public venues monetize their existing Wi-Fi infrastructure by selling excess capacity to cellular carriers. Venues with Passpoint-compatible networks can enable automatic, secure connections for visitors without installing new hardware or software.
The service targets high-traffic locations such as airports, stadiums, malls, hospitals, and office buildings. It provides venues with analytics on network quality and visitor connectivity while generating revenue based on foot traffic and performance.
| Attribute | Orion Wi-Fi | Boingo Passpoint | Enea Aptilo SMP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provider |  Alphabetabc.xyz$26.1M raised · Public |  Boingo Wirelessboingo.com$140M raised · Public |  Eneaenea.comPublic | |
| Founded | 1998 | 2001 | 1968 | |
| Sells To | Consumers, Enterprise | Enterprise, Government | Enterprise | |
| Pricing Model | Advertising, Recurring, Transactional | Recurring, Software, Transactional | Recurring, Software | |
| Ownership | Public | Public | Public |
Provider Alphabetabc.xyz$26.1M raised · Public
Founded 1998
Sells To Consumers, Enterprise
Pricing Model Advertising, Recurring, Transactional
Ownership Public
Provider Boingo Wirelessboingo.com$140M raised · Public
Founded 2001
Sells To Enterprise, Government
Pricing Model Recurring, Software, Transactional
Ownership Public
Founded 1968
Sells To Enterprise
Pricing Model Recurring, Software
Ownership Public
