Starbucks goes AT&T, offers free Wi-Fi for purchases
updated 11:35 am EST, Mon February 11, 2008
Starbucks ATT Free Wi-Fi
Starbucks today said it would begin offering free Wi-Fi access to AT&T subscribers as well as free two hours of Wi-Fi to those who make purchases at the world's largest coffee chain. The move marks a break from Starbucks' longstanding choice of T-Mobile and will see all of Starbucks' 7,000-plus existing Internet-capable coffee houses switch to AT&T for access. All customers of AT&T's DSL and U-verse Internet services will have free, unlimited access to the hotspots. AT&T's cellphone customers will also have the option in the near future, the coffee producers say. Starbucks Card holders will also have two hours of use per day on top of their existing benefits.
Paid access will still remain available to customers outside of AT&T service and should cost $4 for two hours of access or $20 per month for access both to Starbucks wireless points as well as AT&T's roughly 70,000 hotspots.
Switching providers is expected by Starbucks to accelerate the rollout of its Apple Wi-Fi deal, which lets both iTunes-equipped computers, the iPhone, and the iPod touch gain limited free access to Starbucks wireless locations for the sake of sampling and buying music through the network. Neither AT&T nor Starbucks has said whether the partnership will change, though AT&T is also Apple's exclusive carrier for the iPhone in the US.
The windfall....
02/11, 11:50am reply
This is what happens if you have bold vision and agree to Apple's terms. AT&T did what Verizon foolishly refused to do, and agreed, sight unseen, on precedent-setting terms for iPhone. I'm not sure how much T-Mobile was making through Starbucks, but all that money is now going to be flowing to AT&T. While I am not a fan of any particular cell carrier (in the US, they all suck big time), at least AT&T cannot be accused of lack of vision.
vasic
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2005
This is good
02/11, 12:07pm reply
Now, I can ditch T-Mobile and their over priced service. I'm an AT&T U-Verse customer already.
howiethemacguy
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Joined: Sep 2007
What if?
02/11, 12:31pm reply
Does that mean that I can get free WiFi on my MBP at Starbucks if I have an ATT iPhone?
boazh
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Joined: Jul 2004
That rocks
02/11, 12:32pm reply
Good to hear. That was always pretty annoying!
Zkatz007
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Joined: May 1999
good
02/11, 12:59pm reply
This is good. With more and more people learning to put a password on their wireless routers, it's harder to find free wi-fi access.
pt123
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Joined: Sep 2007
boazh
02/11, 01:41pm reply
No, boazh, it means you can learn to read an article, especially when it provides your answers already: "AT&T's cellphone customers will also have the option in the near future, the coffee producers say."
ZinkDifferent
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Joined: Jan 2005
now...
02/11, 01:42pm reply
...things will get interesting.
ZinkDifferent
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2005
Re: the windfall
02/12, 07:55am reply
This is what happens if you have bold vision and agree to Apple's terms
What in the world takes you from "AT&T has the iPhone" to "AT&T is taking over the world (or at least starbucks?)!"
What this probably shows is AT&T gave them a better deal, nothing more. But, hey, I guess you have to crow about anything even closely related to Apple as being due to Apple in order to keep your "MacFanBoy" membership.
testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001
DSL can get you on now
04/25, 03:18pm reply
T-Mobile and ATT concluded a roaming agreement several weeks ago that put an ATT icon on the login screen at Starbucks wi-fi. If you have 1.5 DSL or better through ATT, you can logon free now. Normally I use my MBA but I have logged on with my iPhone at Starbucks. I have used this for 5 weeks and it was probably available before that. After the stores are converted to ATT, you would just see the ATT screen I guess.
ralphdaily
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Joined: Dec 2006