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AT&T Bringing Free Wi-Fi to Starbucks (Finally!)
AT&T is popping Wi-Fi hotspots at over 7,000 Starbucks stores, exploding their own network and razing T-Mobile's biggest Wi-Fi front in one fell swoop. And they're offering the true killer app: Two hours of free Wi-Fi a day to Starbucks Card holders (like the gift cards, so just pre-pay for your fix) and unlimited internets to AT&T's broadband customers and Starbucks slaves. Update: Even though T-Mobile has actually gotten the boot from Starbucks, AT&T is letting T-Mo customers keep using the hotspots for no extra fee.
AT&T is promising fatter pipes to boot—a necessity with the certain spike of wireless leechers. If you're not in the privileged classes, monthly subs that work at any AT&T Wi-Fi spot go for $US20, while a two-hour hit runs $US4. This all hits in the spring.
Am I the only one who finds it strange to suddenly see a Wi-Fi war in 2008, when we should be talking about mobile broadband, 4G—something a little less five years ago? That said, I'm not exactly one to complain about more, free internet access, however it gets to me, and it's good to see AT&T palpably improving its network assets.
More Than 12 Million AT&T, Starbucks Customers to Get Free Wi-Fi Access for a Rich In-Store Experience[AT&T]New Offering Includes Two Hours of Free Wi-Fi Service Per Day for Starbucks Card Holders Beginning this Spring
All 100,000 U.S.-Based Starbucks Partners to Receive Free Wi-Fi at Starbucks Stores
Seattle, Washington, San Antonio, Texas, February 11, 2008
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) today announced plans to deliver AT&T Wi-FiSM service at more than 7,000 company-operated Starbucks locations across the United States. The initiative brings together two of the most recognizable global brands to create a powerful and convenient online experience for consumers and business customers. Starbucks and AT&T will offer a mix of free and paid Wi-Fi offerings at Starbucks stores to meet the needs of both frequent and occasional Starbucks Wi-Fi customers.
The initiative further expands the AT&T Wi-Fi network, already the largest in the United States, to more than 17,000 U.S. hot spots and more than 70,000 globally.
Beginning this spring, Starbucks Card holders can enjoy up to two hours of free Wi-Fi service per day at Starbucks locations offering Wi-Fi access, while more than 12 million qualifying AT&T broadband and AT&T U-verseSM Internet customers will have unlimited free access to the Wi-Fi service. In addition, more than 5 million of AT&T's remote access services business customers will be able to access Wi-Fi service at Starbucks locations. AT&T will soon extend the benefits of Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its wireless customers.
"People want to stay connected to their world 24/7, and Wi-Fi hot spots, broadband and wireless make that mobility possible," said Rick Welday, AT&T chief marketing officer, Consumer. "Laptops and smartphones give us the online mobility we crave, and now millions of AT&T and Starbucks customers will get Internet access free from the comfort of their neighborhood Starbucks."
"This is what our customers have been waiting for -- free Starbucks-quality Wi-Fi," said Chris Bruzzo, chief technology officer, Starbucks Coffee Company. "Through our new partnership with AT&T, we also welcome their millions of current customers who can now come in and enjoy free Wi-Fi as part of their daily Starbucks Experience."
As an added benefit for the more than 100,000 Starbucks partners in the U.S., all Starbucks partners will receive free AT&T Wi-Fi accounts allowing them to use the network in Starbucks company-operated locations offering Wi-Fi access.
"Our new relationship with AT&T gives us the opportunity to expand and enhance the range of digital entertainment experiences for our customers as well as our partners, including the continued rollout of the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbucks," said Ken Lombard, president, Starbucks Entertainment.
In addition to the free Wi-Fi access for qualifying AT&T customers and any Starbucks Card holder, customers will be able to purchase tiered access to the AT&T Wi-Fi network at Starbucks at attractive price points. For a two-hour period, customers will pay just $3.99 per session. Monthly membership will also be available for $19.99 per month, and will include access to any of AT&T's 70,000 hot spots in 89 countries around the world.
AT&T business customers who subscribe to remote access services can also enjoy unlimited, flat-rate access plans at any Starbucks location offering Wi-Fi service or at other AT&T Wi-Fi hot spots.
Additionally, AT&T is providing Starbucks an enterprise-class network with increased bandwidth and redundancy. AT&T's underlying network technologies will enable a wide range of business applications and help Starbucks stores operate more efficiently.
"Delivering networking capabilities to help a world-class company such as Starbucks achieve greater business velocity is what we do," said Welday. "Our work with Starbucks is collaborative innovation at its finest."
The availability of AT&T Wi-Fi service at Starbucks will take place on a market-by-market basis with store implementation beginning this spring and completed by the end of the year.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
JustEaton
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
@OLEDRevolution: If they're smart they'll just have you log in as you would through the AT&T Wireless site. Phone number and password. For the iPhone/cell phone access, that is.
JustEaton
shawn_dude
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
I bet ya the map of Starbucks this will roll out to and the map of areas that have FIOS subscribers will have high correlation.
It you cannot add value to your network by widening your pipe, add value by making the pipe available in more places than just your home.
Question: in places where AT&T is rolling out tiered pricing, will using a wifi spot at Starbucks count against my bandwidth allocation? Will it spur me into a higher bracket and increase my per-byte costs?
shawn_dude
OLEDRevolution
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
"AT&T will soon extend the benefits of Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its wireless customers." I love noncommittal corporate-speak. How difficult would it be to send iPhone users a text message with their unique starbucks/ATT wifi hotspot account info right now?
OLEDRevolution
zman9
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
you'll see Starbucks at airports from far away - hundreds sitting on the floor with laptops...
zman9
weatherman
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
If all you have to do is put $5 on a card, I'm not sure I see a downside to this. Doesn't seem to make much sense to offer $2/hr access if that's the case though - unless Starbucks has done the math of super-sekret marketing analytics and figured out that ppl who have a Starbucks card end up visiting Starbucks a lot more. In any case it seems like a smart move for Starbucks since most local coffee shops offer free WiFi anyway, and that's a competitive disadvantage for them.
weatherman
ramman345
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
It's free with purchase of a gift card... You buy a $5 gift card and you STILL HAVE $5! (to now spend on a single cup of coffee...) Still much better than crappy fee-for-Wifi Tmobile service.
ramman345
Stacky Botrus
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
I was under the impression that Tmo had all the starbucks and ATT had the Barnes and Nobles, THAT SERVED Starbucks, but werent actually starbucks.
Either way, a free two hours a day isnt bad. Though, Panera has better coffee/food and its ALWAYS free :)
Stacky Botrus
n/a
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
What's great about the deal is this won't cost anything for AT&T U-Verse customers. They get wireless for free.
n/a
xtremesniper
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
They better bring free wi-fi to the stores in Canada too. They charge an arm and a leg for wi-fi up here.
xtremesniper
dumpsterdiver
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
Not sure exactly where the "Free" part is coming into here. Free, but you need to have or purchase a SB card? Free, but you need to be an ATT subscriber? This is not the definition of free that every other coffee shop uses when they advertise "free" wifi. Fail.
dumpsterdiver
aerocowboy
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
This had to have been in the works when Apple began working with Starbucks. The AT&T/Apple/Starbucks partnership makes a bit more sense now.
...up next... free AT&T Wi-Fi (at least at Starbucks) for iPhone subscribers.
aerocowboy
SigmundTheSeaMonster
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
I must be near a starbucks as my iPhone just popped up a starbucks icon. Amazing, I get 2 free hours of wifi...(sarcasm)
SigmundTheSeaMonster
matt buchanan
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
@MrBlahBlah: Not exactly sure on how that works.
@ripfire4: Same deal as this.
matt buchanan
Kamenwati
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
Why does it seem like this was done with the Iphone hipster crowd in mind either way its a very good move on their part ATT is get smarter and more dangerous each passing day
Kamenwati
ripfire4
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
Awesome! Now how do I get access as an AT&T broadband subscriber?
ripfire4
MrBlahBlah
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
so all i have to do is buy a $5 starbucks card and i get free wifi until i use the balance on the card?
MrBlahBlah
Johnny Chimpo
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
Nothing compliments a double espresso slim latte like a little unwarranted wire taps!
WOO!! Go AT&T! Go!!
Johnny Chimpo
UofITom
Posted 4:06 AM 12/2/08
ROFL @ "Starbucks Quality WiFi"
UofITom
Diokhan
Posted 5:27 AM 12/2/08
I bet by Starbucks 'card' holders, they mean people who have the Starbucks Duetto Visa card. If that's the case, I'll just head over to McDonalds.
[www.starbucks.com]
Diokhan
MickeyMoo
Posted 5:27 AM 12/2/08
It already works at many McDonalds - you get onto the network - open a browser page and select "use alternate log-on" (or words to that effect) and supply your primary DSL user mail login/password
MickeyMoo
johnnyabnormal
Posted 5:27 AM 12/2/08
Anytime at at a Starbucks (rarely) or a airport (more often) and find out they want to charge me for Wi-Fi, I'm always like...."F*@k you!". It's always nice to have a few less hands trying to get in your pocket. UNLESS! Starbucks raises prices to compensate. That would be predictable.
johnnyabnormal
Tankueray
Posted 5:27 AM 12/2/08
I have the AT&T wireless card in my laptop, will I too eventually get free wi-fi access?
Tankueray
matt buchanan
Posted 5:27 AM 12/2/08
@Buran: It was T-Mobile charging, not Starbucks.
matt buchanan
Buran
Posted 5:27 AM 12/2/08
What the hell took so long? Starbucks was one of the only places that was arrogant enough to keep charging for Wifi when everyone else offered it for free. It's not entirely free, still, I see, but if I ever need to go on a trip I can pick up a starbucks card, nearly never use it, but have it handy for in case I do need net access (since starbucks is everywhere).
Haven't they clued in yet that people who have a reason to stay buy more stuff? You'd think they would have figured this out ages ago.
I have an iphone, though -- do I get starbucks net access for free with that, or what?
Buran
wilmawonker
Posted 5:27 AM 12/2/08
So the only coffee shop I know of that charged for wireless has finally caved. Now the only folks left are the new coffee-mongers...McDonalds. There's a reason I stop at Burger King on road trips and it begins with F and ends with REE.
wilmawonker
chillywilly
Posted 5:27 AM 12/2/08
Wow. This is pretty cool. I've never connected reliably via T-Mobile because if they had more than a few people online in the store at the same time, the connection was always so slow. And pretty pricey at $4/hr.
This is good news and maybe now I'll consider taking my laptop to Starbucks more often.
chillywilly
phoomp
Posted 5:27 AM 12/2/08
@xtremesniper:
Not likely to happen with Telus or Rogers offering the Wi-fi.
phoomp
lpranal
Posted 5:27 AM 12/2/08
OR I can go to my local-owned coffee shop, drink REALLY good coffee that was roasted that morning, and get free wifi all day, every day, without signing up for jack.
hmmmm... decisions, decisions.
lpranal
berribrand
Posted 6:45 AM 12/2/08
@MrBlahBlah: I already use a Starbucks card to buy my coffee there. I just refill it every time it gets low. Saves me from having to drop all that change into their "tip" jar (Which, I don't like to do because aren't they just doing their job? It's not like they are bringing my drink to my table...).
So I'm hoping the answer is that as long as you have a balance on the card, you can use the 2-hour/day wifi.
berribrand
JasonCo
Posted 6:45 AM 12/2/08
Starbucks should have done this years ago. (I told you so...)... idiots...
JasonCo
mechanismatic
Posted 6:45 AM 12/2/08
Didn't you learn anything from George Orwell?
Now all coffee shop wi-fi is free, but some wi-fi is freer than others.
Four legs good, starbucks cardholder requirement bad.
Free wi-fi is slavery. 2 + 2 = $5 for a starbucks card.
mechanismatic
jmckee
Posted 6:45 AM 12/2/08
I think by Starbucks card they mean their Duetto credit card, not a gift card. At least this means I will be able to use the free WiFi service that comes with my AT&T DSL for something.
jmckee
FredicvsMaximvs
Posted 6:45 AM 12/2/08
@quail: "...heavily tattoed coeds..."
That's enough reason for me!
However, Panera FTW.
FredicvsMaximvs
RRich
Posted 6:45 AM 12/2/08
I think most of us define "free" as something that doesn't cost anything. The term is used differently here. Or is it me?
RRich
zippyzop
Posted 6:45 AM 12/2/08
So the Starbucks card part of it probably means you have to register your card, which, incidentally, is a good idea if you go the SBUX card route. I lost my card and they replaced the balance right away.
zippyzop
n/a
Posted 6:45 AM 12/2/08
@workingonyourinvoice:
THIS IS HUGE!!! GO AT&T!! GO!!!
n/a
workingonyourinvoice
Posted 6:45 AM 12/2/08
@yoshi: We pay for it. Oh, how we pay for it.
@lpranal: Not everybody has those options available.
workingonyourinvoice
quail
Posted 6:45 AM 12/2/08
Hmm. Panera = free wifi and good coffee. McDonald's = free wifi and good coffee. Local ma & pop shop = free wifi and good coffee. All that Starbucks still offers that's unique is heavily tattoed coeds, and the Starbucks music channel being piped in through XM satellite radio. Don't get me wrong, I still like Starbucks. But come on, this is them just catching up to the rest of the world.
As to the 2hr limit, I can see them putting 16 digit passwords on all of their receipts. What a pain that would be.
quail
n/a
Posted 6:45 AM 12/2/08
I'm confused too
It seems to say that there's something called a "Starbucks Cardholder" that is separate from buying the $4 card for 2 hours or the $20 card for the month.
So what's a Starbucks cardholder? If it really is for free than why would anyone pay for "tiered access"?
n/a
msp
Posted 6:45 AM 12/2/08
I worked at Starbucks for 5 years - people always got mad when they found out they had to pay T-mobile for wireless and threatened to go elsewhere (unfortunately, they never made good on their threat). The 2-hour time limit and SB card requirement are ridiculous -- if it's "free", it should be all the way free and not half-assed free. Also, SB cards don't work at airports, what's going to happen there? This is why SB is losing customers.
msp
matto
Posted 6:45 AM 12/2/08
So what the hell does this mean for T-Mo hotspot customers? The only reason my wife and I pay T-Mo is for net access at Starbuckses. Will T-Mo no longer be providing service at Starbucks? Will my wife be able to get out of her 1-year contract(!) with T-Mo?
matto
infmom
Posted 8:08 AM 12/2/08
Gee, I might try this if my son still worked at Starbucks. :)
infmom
CaliforniaCajun
Posted 8:08 AM 12/2/08
Whoops. I take that back: "AT&T will soon extend the benefits of Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its wireless customers."
I guess I'll only have to wait until SOON is over!
CaliforniaCajun
CaliforniaCajun
Posted 8:08 AM 12/2/08
And ATT Wireless customers get?....NADA.
Thanks, ATT. You keep treating us like the schmucks that we are. Too bad you don't offer your DSL in my area - but I don't mind paying your $50.00 WIRELESS flat rate phone service so I can pay again to use your WIRELESS hotspots.
Jerks.
CaliforniaCajun
firesign
Posted 8:08 AM 12/2/08
2 hours free? big deal. when i had a t-mobile cellphone i could get unlimited free wifi at t-mobile hotspots. i'm an at&t wireless customer, why can't i get the same deal? i could care less about starbucks, since their coffee is over roasted crap, but it would be nice in other at&t hotspots. anyway, panera and caribou coffee (also free wifi and better coffee) ftw.
firesign
Xultar
Posted 8:08 AM 12/2/08
T-Mobile sucked big sweaty donkey balls @ every Starbucks I've visited.
Everyone.
solong SUCKAS!!
Xultar
adb
Posted 8:08 AM 12/2/08
Just got off the phone with Starbucks customer service--exceedingly friendly, by the way. It does refer to the CARD (e.g., the one I reload $50 at a time), not the CREDIT CARD, and the card needs to be registered and 'active'. 'Active' means the card must be used at least once a month. I would assume--the customer assistant didn't know--that you would get a log-in based on your registered card number, and that logging in would trigger the "is the card active" question on Starbucks' servers.
adb
ANoel
Posted 8:08 AM 12/2/08
Starfucks... meh... they'd charge you for air if they could.
If Bill Gates wanted to do something to REALLY change the world through philanthropy, he'd blanket the planet in free WiFi.
ANoel
Buran
Posted 8:08 AM 12/2/08
@matt buchanan: And who had those hotspots installed? Yes, that's right, the finger points right back to Starbucks.
Buran
Ike_Skelton
Posted 10:13 AM 12/2/08
Oops, sorry for the double post.
Ike_Skelton
Ike_Skelton
Posted 10:13 AM 12/2/08
I don't know what a starbucks card is, but nothing about this sounds like free wi-fi...
Ike_Skelton
Ike_Skelton
Posted 10:13 AM 12/2/08
I don't know what a starbucks card is, but nothing about this sounds like free Wi-Fi...
Ike_Skelton
chopstickhero
Posted 10:13 AM 12/2/08
i hate starbucks so i wouldn't even use it. their $5 coffee is disgusting anyways. i hope nobody is really drinking that garbage.
chopstickhero
Pop Socket
Posted 10:13 AM 12/2/08
Who wants lousy burnt wifi? Sorry, I thought this was Consumerist.
Pop Socket
matt buchanan
Posted 10:13 AM 12/2/08
@Buran: The T-Mo deal goes back to 2001, long before Wi-Fi was ubiquitous though. But yes, free Wi-Fi is long overdue.
matt buchanan
rimplestultskin
Posted 12:49 PM 12/2/08
let's see.
my lunch break is 40 minutes. there's a starbucks right across the street from my school. i've recently gotten a tip that im getting a starbucks card as a valentines day gift. my one biggest complaint about the iPod touch is that iTunes wi-fi gets on free at starbucks, but the actual web browser doesnt. the 2 free hours a day more than covers my 40-minute lunch break.
plus, if the bitch at starbucks accuses me of loitering for bringing in (reasonably priced) food from other places, i can just tell her i'm a starbucks customer and where she can shove it.
this is just lovely.
rimplestultskin
tkohrs2002
Posted 12:49 PM 12/2/08
i thought starbucks has always had free wifi?????
tkohrs2002
lesbiansayswhat
Posted 2:11 PM 12/2/08
When the free wifi for AT&T customers thing popped up I saw on the website that the only free part was the AT&T basic service at 10,000 locations. I live in a popular area of Chicago and the only locations that offered the basic wifi were McDonald's. WTF? People barely eat in there anymore let alone hang out to do work while inhaling grease. They have an AT&T paid premium service (I suppose this is the one that works) for over 44,000 locations..you know..at the actual coffee shops.
The DSL service is cheap and fast at home so I don't feel cheated (cell service is another story) but God forbid I want to do work outside my house..Chicago has almost no free internet anywhere. It also hasn't been overtaken by Starbucks like NY, independent places flourish her still, so chances are this won't help. Why not give your customers access no matter what coffee shop they choose?
lesbiansayswhat
FLConsumer
Posted 2:11 PM 12/2/08
Oh and yes, the local non-Starf*cks coffee shop here has free WiFi and great coffee.
FLConsumer
FLConsumer
Posted 2:11 PM 12/2/08
$20/mo for the "privilege" of using WiFi only at Starf*cks? Give me a break. My mobile phone provider charges an extra $5/mo for all of the tethered EVDO internet I can use, anywhere, anytime, not only at some place which sells overpriced burnt coffee.
FLConsumer
w00zzy
Posted 1:45 AM 13/2/08
@ripfire4: Just use your at&t UID and password.
w00zzy
foxmajik
Posted 4:47 PM 16/2/08
Now you too can enjoy AT&T's horrible data transfer rates and unreliable connections, all for free.
foxmajik
kreativ
Posted 4:47 PM 16/2/08
I'm from Malaysia... we've had free wi-fi in starbucks for two years already!!! They started free wi-fi first, and many other cafes and restaurants followed soon after. We even have free wi-fi in most shopping malls, at the airport and even our low cost carrier airport gives free wi-fi.
They u guys call us a third world country... Hello?
kreativ
eficks
Posted 4:47 PM 16/2/08
whatever, we have free wifi in starbucks in china. it's been like this for as long as i can remember (i can only remember about 2 years). damn you alcohol.
eficks