Facebook and Cisco have collaborated to offer free pubic Wi-Fi to people visiting hotels and retailers by signing in with their Facebook logins.

The Cisco Connected Mobile Experience (CMX) with Facebook Wi-Fi is currently being trialled by popular retailers, hotels, restaurants and other public gathering spots.

Cisco enterprise networks group VP, Sujai Hajela, said the partnership would provide a personalised mobile experience for consumers while they are out and about.

"We will be rolling out this solution across some of the world’s top brands in retail, hospitality, and other markets," Hajela said.

It is also expected to offer businesses more chances to connect with their customers.

The latest Wi-Fi efforts are not funded by Facebook, while merchants must meet the cost of infrastructure.

The social networking site joins Google in gathering information on the customers’ shopping and web browsing habits so it can offer targeted ads.

In January, Google rolled out free internet access to hundreds of thousands of people in New York.