Update: This seemed kind of fishy from the beginning, but now reports are out that both Google and ICOA have denied that this is real.

As noted in our report, the only source of the news seemed to be an odd press release from PRWeb, which was not acknowledged in Google’s own press center.

Someone’s just messing with us.

Original: According to a short and vague press release from PRWeb and a couple of reports apparently working from that, Google has acquired ICOA for $400 million. Here’s the announcement in its entirety:

Google has announced its acquisition of ICOA Inc. A provider of Wi-Fi to high traffic public locations. ICOA is a leading vertically integrated, neutral-host broadband wireless Internet network provider. Their suite of services and solutions power the unique requirements of high-traffic public locations such as airports, marinas, restaurants and more, while also providing back office solutions for hotspot operators and wireless service providers. Google looks to further diversify it’s already impressive portfolio of companies.

ICOA, Inc. is a national provider of wireless and wired broadband Internet networks in high-traffic public locations. ICOA provides design, installation, operation, maintenance and management of WI-FI hot-spot and hot-zone Internet access. Based in Warwick, Rhode Island, ICOA owns or operates broadband access installations in high-traffic locations across 40 states, located in airports, quick-service restaurants, hotels and motels, travel plazas, marinas etc. ICOA networks are compatible with widely-used 802.11x technology and with virtually all Internet service providers. Further information is at http://www.icoacorp.com.

There does not appear to be any acknowledgement of the acquisition in Google’s own press center.

Interestingly, the announcement does come after Google had reportedly been in talks with Dish Network regarding a potential partnership in the wireless Internet space.