Good news, iPhone lovers. Starbucks is dumping T-Mobile and serving you up a fresh heaping venti of Wi-Fi goodness. And what's the crema on that espresso? Why, it's this: "AT&T will soon extend the benefits of Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its wireless customers". The press release says spring 2008 -- still a little ways away, but soon "millions of AT&T and Starbucks customers will get Internet access free from the comfort of their neighborhood Starbucks."
I'll drink to that. In a short, no-fat, green-tea hold the syrup way. Meanwhile, T-Mobile Hotspot customers will still be able to use Starbucks' WiFi, thanks to an agreement between the two providers.
Update: Several commenters have asked for clarification on the 'free' part of the arrangment between Big Blue and Big Coffee. Here's the relevant section of the press release: "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." The likely scenario is 2 hours of free online time per visit for Starbucks Card holders, but we don't know yet what it means for iPhone owners (the "wireless customers" of the last sentence).
Thanks Christopher Li
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TDig said 3:36PM on 2-11-2008
Wahoo!
Reply
DJCarbon43 said 4:07PM on 2-11-2008
Dios Mio! That is freaking AWESOME!!!! ^_^
I guess even monolithic corporations can get it right once in a while!!!
Yahoo!
Elliot said 3:43PM on 2-11-2008
Gah, I can't believe Starbucks charges for Wi-Fi. Any friendly neighborhood shop has been giving it away for years, and you get to support something in your community, not a big company based a thousand miles away (to be fair, I'm in Seattle...). Anyway, being able to stand in front of one with your iPhone/MB would be nice, I guess.
Reply
Charles said 4:08PM on 2-11-2008
Most shops that offer free WiFi do so to attract business. Generally, it is a side thing with few SLAs built around it (my local coffee house explicitly states that the baristas are not technicians). Providing WiFi is not their core competency or mission.
WiFi is not the core competency or mission of Starbucks. Further, it hasn't needed the free WiFi to draw business. Most of their shops seem to do quite well, thank you.
In this environment, they chose to partner with national providers. For Starbucks, they can give the service to those who want it (and will pay for it), while not having to provide the infrastructure to support it in every store (data lines, access points, etc.). They get to have it under one provider, and manage the deal at a corporate level (aggregate costs, revenue sharing, etc.).
Note that Starbucks has also been offering the service for some time now, before many of the "free" coffee houses. Before WiFi was a ubiquitous commodity in every laptop. The contract with T-Mobile likely dates back to then. Now they have the ability and incentive to change the terms (and, in turn, revisit their offering to their customers).
New question: the article states "while more than 12 million qualifying AT&T broadband and AT&T U-verse Internet customers will have unlimited free access to the Wi-Fi service." Nowhere does it mention iPhone. Is the iPhone a U-verse or broadband offering?
Elliot said 5:01PM on 2-11-2008
Yeah, I hear it, of course there are "good business reasons" for the decision, corporate partners to be had, etc. That's what makes the world go 'round. As a personal matter of opinion, though, I like my wi-fi free, my coffee shops impractical, and my businesses local. I'll go back to my hole now.
emil h said 3:51PM on 2-11-2008
what's up with the bizarre tags?
and where in that article does it indicate the access will be free? i think that's wishful thinking, particularly with at&t involved.
Reply
mcg said 3:51PM on 2-11-2008
Here's a quick way to find free WiFi in an unfamiliar city: find a nearby Starbucks, and go to the closest *independent* cafe near that Starbucks :) Works pretty well.
Seriously, though, it looks like this WiFi *is* now free for 2 hours if you have a Starbucks card. Thus it is effectively free to regular/frequent Starbucks customers if you're willing to jump through a little hoop. Starbucks cards aren't that hard to use and they can automatically recharge from the credit card you're probably using there now anyway.
And if it is true that AT&T Wireless customers are going to get free WiFi as well---well, that just makes it even easier.
Reply
artifex said 4:33PM on 2-11-2008
"Seriously, though, it looks like this WiFi *is* now free for 2 hours if you have a Starbucks card. Thus it is effectively free to regular/frequent Starbucks customers if you're willing to jump through a little hoop."
Odd, none of my local Starbucks give me a code or anything on my receipt if I use the card. Where have you seen this?
Stevensnewest said 5:19PM on 2-11-2008
nothing for the iPod touch users, huh?
Reply
Justin said 5:46PM on 2-11-2008
I am pretty sure this blogger is wrong. No where in the press release does it say anything about free wifi for wireless customers.
Reply
Karl said 5:48PM on 2-11-2008
Pretty sure you have to pay for this if you aren't subscribed to AT&T Broadband / U-Verse.
I thought we covered this a few weeks ago when it came to AT&T WiFi? I think this will be the same thing. Those with that kind of data on their plan will get this IN ADDITION to what they're already paying for. Not paying, nothing extra!
Reply
Mike said 9:24PM on 2-11-2008
I should have suspected this since the newest 24-hour Starbucks in my area has not had wi-fi since it opened two weeks ago, and the manager characterized T-mobile as "ignoring them."
I'm hoping that since I have a year of T-mobile, maybe this deal will give me hotspot access to Barnes Noble & McDonald's as well as Borders & Starbucks. I don't care about losing access to T-mobile retail, heh.
And I'd like to know where your "free" and "iphone" connection quote comes from as well, since I very clearly read "a range of compelling Wi-Fi pricing structures" in the linked release, heh. Compelling = not free.
Reply
SN said 7:32PM on 2-11-2008
It's not free, check the press release - last line:
"Starbucks will work with AT&T to create a range of compelling Wi-Fi pricing structures for Starbucks and AT&T customers."
Nice AT&T, Nice.
Reply
JT said 9:36PM on 2-11-2008
" AT&T will soon extend the benefits of Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its wireless customers."
That sounds promising for wireless (iPhone) customers to me.
Reply
Corey D said 11:30PM on 2-11-2008
i am a barista at starbucks. apparently the deal is if you have a starbucks card and purchase a drink then you get a free two hour session each day. each starbucks card comes with a number on the back just like a credit card. registration infrastructure for unique cards have already have been in place, and now with the unique customized cards it would be simple to provide for customers.
bonus - free for all partners (employees) at any store.
Reply
christapher said 9:50AM on 2-12-2008
woot! store #11149 ftw!
im pretty excited about it, i hate having to tell people to go over to wendy's or panera if they want free wifi... in a town with two colleges, there are a lot of people looking for a place to study
tomokun said 10:08AM on 2-12-2008
AS A STARBUCKS PARTNER!!! The reasons why we had to charge for WiFi is because we were one of the first to actually have it available in public places, so we were stuck with t-mobiles contract. Thanks to uncle howie being our president again (Jim Donald sucked, a lot) he is trying to work out a way to get this to our customers now.
Dont try asking a barista about the information, the only thing that was released internally is the fact that this is happening. There is no release date, However Starbucks's spring season starts february 26th (with the Honey Latte)
Im happy to see that finally something is happening for free WiFi, it took too damn long.
Reply
ismism said 12:39AM on 2-12-2008
Yawn
Reply
burtthaman said 11:09AM on 2-13-2008
I live in the Chicago area and every Starbucks I've gone into i've been able to connect to their internet for free... in fact I had no idea any codes or charges existed? I just searched for a wifi connection and connected no questions asked (or am I getting charged somehow without knowing over some crazy wifi scheme? lol)
Reply
burtthaman said 11:11AM on 2-13-2008
I connected using my iPhone in the above post
Reply