Earthlink is getting out of the Wi-Fi business, rendering moot the fact that Google and Earthlink together won the deal last year to provide free Wi-Fi to San Francisco. The plan to provide free wireless isn't going to happen.

Earthlink Chief Executive Rolla Huff called SF Mayor Newsom this week and conceded "they were not going to be able to fulfill their end of the bargain," according to reports by Associated Press.

Huff told Newsom that Earthlink is "getting out of the Wi-Fi business," which throws a spanner in the works so far as Google's commitment to provide San Francisco with free WiFi is concerned.