Free Wi-Fi, decidedly frothy

AnchorFree has launched a program that provides free Wi-Fi hotspots supported by local, targeted ads.

The service may alleviate the financial burden of providing free Wi-Fi access at small businesses such as coffee shops, which use the feature as a hook to lure customers in.

It could also allow other locations to offer free service instead of requiring customers to pay for it.

AnchorFree parks banner ads atop a user's internet browser. The ads remain, no matter where the user goes online, and are contextually matched to the page a person visits. As a user's surfing habits change, so too do the advertisements.

To get the service off the ground, AnchorFree is in the process of developing liaisons with Wi-Fi providers and businesses.