Starbucks orders up AT&T WiFi

Source: WiFi Net News

AT&T who upped their brand value with an exclusive deal with the iPhone, is now locking up another addiction of the tech elites…Starbucks. AT&T is now the WiFi provider for Starbucks in a deal that "turns AT&T from "McDonald’s plus," with a relatively small footprint of other locations, to a 17,000-location giant." AT&T WiFi will rollout to Starbucks starting next quarter. Starbucks card holders will get two hours of free WiFi with no purchase necessary - even though we know you'll order that half caf extra dry cappuccino anyway.

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Comments

[Bill Ross]

It's about time! Starbucks had been conspicuously absent from the phenomenon of free public wifi, burdened with their early exclusive requiring T-Mobile's subscriptions.

You'll note they're not offering a Free hotspot. I think we can consider that to have been a passing phase (like commercial-free cable tv -- remember that?), especially now that a pair of market leaders have figured out a pricing structure.

But *now* just try to get a table there. "No room" just used to mean, I don't need room left for cream. They might miss those days of relatively few surfers camped out in their stores.

'Bucks better start hiring managers with experience as diplomats -- things could start getting rather snippy. In oft-quoted words of Yogi Berra, "No one goes there anymore; it's too crowded."

- Grande dark roast, no room, a packet of honey, and an outlet, please.