Google has launched its free public Wi-Fi hotspot programme, known as Google Station, in South Africa, the US-headquartered Internet company said at an event in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The company will work with local Internet service providers to bring the service to market, said David Shapiro of Google’s Next Billion Users Initiative at the event.

“Google Station offers fast, free, open-access to the Internet through Wi-Fi,” he said.

Google announced that Think WiFi, a Wi-Fi provider, is its first ISP partner. Telecommunications operator Telkom and MultiChoice-owned video streaming platform Showmax are the first advertisers on the ad-funded platform.

The service is being launched at 125 locations across Cape Town, particularly in areas that are underserved on the Cape Flats.

Google provides assistance to ISP partners to convert fibre connections into quality Wi-Fi hotposts. The service has been introduced in several countries, including India, Brazil, Nigeria, Indonesia and Mexico.