Google did not buy WiFi provider ICOA, press release was false

The dream was closer for a few minutes there. With rumors swirling about Google planning to build its own data-centric wireless carrier, the news that Google had purchased WiFi provider ICOA made the rounds very quickly this morning. But, it turns out that info came from a false press release.

Earlier this morning, a press release was sent out claiming that Google had purchased ICOA, a wireless Internet network provider, for $400 million dollars. The news sounded plausible, because $400 million is a medium-to-small size acquisition for a company like Google, and because the tech sphere has been looking for more info on Google's possible wireless carrier. But, after the press release came out, there were oddities noted. 

Firstly, the press release contained a number of spelling errors, which is a solid red flag for an official press release of this magnitude. The other pretty solid red flag? Google wouldn't confirm the acquisition. Eventually, both ICOA and Google flatly denied that a deal had taken place, saying that the press release was a fake.