Google Places is a "killer mobile map search tool" for finding nearby businesses and other points of interest. With Places users can easily search locations on an Android phone by categories making local search faster. This tool has the potential of bringing in a lot more monthly advertising revenue for Google than existing data / voice subscription based business models used by the big 4 carriers. This tool has been a very successful advertising tool for local and small business retail owners who are constantly trying make their business noticeable amongst the giant retail chains. I think if Places GPS is always left on for tracking purposes a user should be rewarded with free or subsidized data subscriptions (paid by Google) from their respective carrier.
Free wireless WILL HAPPEN EVENTUALLY and it will be extremely disruptive to the dumb pipes of AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon who don't have a clue about how to build a location based advertising business organically. Verizon will likely have to build a stronger partnership with Google or purchase a company like Nokia / Navteq (Maps) to in order to compete. AT&T will likely "ride the coattails" of Apple again using their new map ad service on a revenue share basis or buy a company like TeleNav. Apple is currently developing their own maps internally and it will be a year or so until they are able to compete. The other "wild card" is Facebook and it remains to be seen if Microsoft can buy or build something compelling on the phone using their Bing maps.
See the video to understand the business proposition in further detail.
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