In this paper, we study the usage of the Google WiFi network,
a freely available outdoor wireless Internet service deployed in
Mountain View, CA. We find that the aggregate usage of the
Google WiFi network is composed of three distinct user populations, characterized by distinct traffic, mobility, and usage
patterns that are characteristic of traditional wireline, wide-area,
and localized wireless access networks. Modem users are staticand always connected and place the highest demand on the network. Hotspot users are concentrated in commercial and public
areas and have moderate mobility. Smartphone users are surprisingly numerous, have peak activity strongly correlated with
commute times, and are concentrated along travel corridors, yet
place very low demands on the network. The substantial difference in key backbone metrics between the Google network and
previously studied networks like Roofnet and MadMesh, however, caution against directly extrapolating our results to other
networks.