Social Media Newsfeed: Facebook, Cisco Partner on Free Wi-Fi | Google Analytics Academy

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Cisco, Facebook Teaming Up on Free Wi-Fi (AllFacebook)
Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers said at the Interop New York 2013 conference Wednesday that it is working with Facebook to provide free Wi-Fi in public places, including hotels and retail stores, for users who login with Facebook, Reuters reported. Chambers said potential uses included users being able to check in at hotels by signing in via Facebook applications on their smartphones, or retailers offering personalized promotions and information to users who check in at their stores, according to Reuters. CNET For Facebook, the Wi-Fi-with-check-in initiative is part of a broader plan to attack the local market by encouraging merchants to set up and maintain Pages on the social network. Participating merchants will get additional distribution with each check-in, receiving exposure that could help bring in more customers or inspire more “likes.” They’ll also benefit from aggregate, anonymous demographic data such as age, gender and interests on customers who sign-in to Facebook Wi-Fi, and can then use that data for targeting purposes in whatever Facebook advertising campaigns they run. AdAge At this stage, the only significant retail brands using the service that the partners would name are Philz, MGM Grand Casinos and seafood eatery Bonefish Grill. Facebook Wi-Fi was piloted with 25 San Francisco-area businesses, including Philz. TechCrunch Here?s how it works. Merchants use the existing router and broadband subscription they pay for. They integrate the ?Cisco CMX for Facebook Wi-Fi? software, which creates a special landing page for anyone trying to access the business? Wi-Fi. Instead of having to wait in line to get a password they might type in wrong, customers simply connect to the business? Wi-Fi network through their laptop or mobile device. GigaOM While I realize Facebook collects tremendous amounts of data about its custome