Google Station arrives in Mexico

Google announced on Tuesday the deployment of its Google Station free WiFi hotspots at 56 sites across Mexico as it looks to improve connectivity and access to internet in emerging markets.

The hotspots were mostly installed at airports and malls, with Mexican WiFi company SitWifi being the technical partner.

Google Station is a concept the company launched in India in 2016, later expanding it to Indonesia and now to Mexico.

The company plans to have Google Station at around 100 sites by the end of the year, Google executives told local daily Expansión.

"The idea is to provide access to the over 57mn Mexicans that don't currently have access to internet and to those who don't have a good enough service," said Miguel Alva, Google's product manager in Mexico.

According to official data, 71.3mn Mexicans, or 63.9% of inhabitants over the age of six, have access to internet. The country was ranked last in terms of household internet access among members of the OECD in 2016, with 47% of households connected.