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AT&T Now Providing Wifi Access at Starbucks

G

G4R2

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 29, 2006
547
4
While not exclusively iPhone news by any means this report should be of interest to iPhone users. Evidently ATT is attempting to oust T-Mobile from the Starbucks wireless space according to this report on Gizmodo:

http://gizmodo.com/354961/att-bringing-free-wi+fi-to-starbucks-finally

It's good to finally see some wi-fi hotspot competition that directly benefits wireless users by lowering, or in this case eradicating, usage charges. It's also going to be of great benefit to wi-fi enabled internet devices like the iPhone and Touch.

[ed note: only "free" for certain customers: Starbucks card holders and AT&T broadband customers]
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2008/02/11/atandt-now-providing-wifi-access-at-starbucks/
D

drb6

macrumors regular
Jul 22, 2005
248
0
Boston, MA
Great news. More free internet the better. Especially for those of us around NYC where Starbucks is as ever present as air.
 
Stampyhead

Stampyhead

macrumors 68020
Sep 3, 2004
2,294
30
London, UK
Yeah, totally. T-mobile's prices are not competitive. They charge $6.00 for an hour, whereas at an AT&T hotspot I paid $4.50 for two hours.

EDIT: Looks like now it's $3.99 for two hours. Even better.
 
A

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
FWIW, T-Mobile users look unaffected:

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200802110954DOWJONESDJONLINE000309_FORTUNE5.htm
In addition, Starbucks, a Seattle coffee company, said T-Mobile customers will be able to use the Wi-Fi services at no additional costs through an agreement between AT&T and T-Mobile, a unit of Deutsche Telekom AG (DT).
Click to expand...

drb6 said:
Great news. More free internet the better.
Click to expand...
Agreed, although it's not going to be free for most folks. Looks like you'll have to have a Starbucks gift card, or subscribe to AT&T broadband at your house before you get to use it for free.
 
gkarris

gkarris

macrumors G3
Dec 31, 2004
8,301
1,061
"No escape from Reality...”
^^^ So is that true? My reason for getting T-Mobile Total Internet is for my iPhone as well as WiFi at Starbucks and Borders.

If Starbucks switches to AT&T and decides to not let T-Mobile users on, then looks like I'm cancelling my Edge service....
 
MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Apr 12, 2001
63,481
30,715
AT&T Now Providing Wifi Access at Starbucks



Starbucks announced that they are partnering with AT&T to provide wireless access to their 7000 stores nationwide. Starbucks had previously partnered with T-Mobile to provide pay Wifi access at their stores.

The new service extends AT&T's free wireless to their AT&T broadband customers and also provides 2 hours of free wireless/day to Starbucks purchase card customers. Beyond this, AT&T offers service at $3.99 for a two-hour session, or $19.99 for monthly access.


Article Link
 
P

PlaceofDis

macrumors Core
Jan 6, 2004
19,241
6
sweet! i get this included with my broadband service through them then. :D

not that i go to starbucks very often, but knowing i won't have to pay for the internet there, i probably will be more inclined to when i need to get more focused.
 
A

averyash

macrumors member
Dec 15, 2006
31
0
"AT&T also is giving Starbucks' more than 100,000 U.S. employees free wireless accounts and said it will soon extend the Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its wireless phone customers. The company announced no details or time frame for the expansion."

Anyone have any more details on this? That seems EXTREMELY pricey. I'm thinking it's a typo or comes with some serious caveats.
 
britabroad

britabroad

macrumors regular
Jul 16, 2007
105
86
Shame it doesn't work the same way as in the UK: there, all iPhone users get free wi-fi access in over 7500 locations via a deal with their carrier, O2. I see from the press release that that looks like a possible long-term plan for AT&T's iPhone users, but when?
 
ruckus

ruckus

macrumors regular
Oct 19, 2005
180
0
I don't know about anyone else, but I absolutely refuse to pay for internet access in public. I am currently living in Oklahoma, and even out here, there are tons of places I can go that offer free wireless internet.

Paid internet access is dead in my opinion. Its just too much of a hassle.
 
E

eastcoastsurfer

macrumors 6502a
Feb 15, 2007
600
27
averyash said:
"AT&T also is giving Starbucks' more than 100,000 U.S. employees free wireless accounts and said it will soon extend the Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its wireless phone customers. The company announced no details or time frame for the expansion."

Anyone have any more details on this? That seems EXTREMELY pricey. I'm thinking it's a typo or comes with some serious caveats.
Click to expand...

What's pricey? Giving employees free access to the wifi network at their job? Should I start paying for internet where I work too? ROFL. No thanks Starbucks or ATT. I'll keep going to local cafes that have free wireless for their customers.
 
B

bigmc6000

macrumors 6502a
May 23, 2006
767
0
ruckus said:
I don't know about anyone else, but I absolutely refuse to pay for internet access in public. I am currently living in Oklahoma, and even out here, there are tons of places I can go that offer free wireless internet.

Paid internet access is dead in my opinion. Its just too much of a hassle.
Click to expand...

I wish paid access was dead but as long as there are airports using T-Mobile it will live on. Talk about a monopoly. I'd bet if the starbucks in the airport offered free wi-fi people would just sit there drinking coffee and eating their food the entire time they had to wait. Actually, that's a brilliant idea!! I know starbucks employee's probably don't read this site but you need to take that to your manager or something - those airport starbucks would make a TON of money.
 
nagromme

nagromme

macrumors G5
May 2, 2002
12,546
1,196
Do iPod Touch users currently get free access at AT&T hotspots? I assume it's only iPhone customers?

(Unless you are an AT&T broadband customer at home--I know hotspots are free then.)
 
H

halhiker

macrumors member
Jul 16, 2006
73
2
It seems it would make more sense to give free Wi-Fi to iPhone customers than to broadband customers. It'd help promote iPhone sales and ATT makes $60 per month on those sales and only about $10-$30 for home broadband.
 
nagromme

nagromme

macrumors G5
May 2, 2002
12,546
1,196
halhiker said:
It seems it would make more sense to give free Wi-Fi to iPhone customers than to broadband customers. It'd help promote iPhone sales and ATT makes $60 per month on those sales and only about $10-$30 for home broadband.
Click to expand...

It seems like AT&T is offering it free to BOTH groups--and to those who buy coffee. (Even my local non-chain coffee places want you to buy something and not just mooch the WiFi and take up space.)

I don't know what AT&T's actual profit margins are on DSL vs. mobile phones, but both are big markets for them.

Westside guy said:
So what's a "Starbucks purchase card"? And if you have to buy it, how is this "free wireless"? :confused:
Click to expand...

The purchase in question would be coffee :)

Currently, with T-Mobile, you buy your coffee AND pay $6 per hour ($6 minimum) for WiFi :eek:
 
dave491

dave491

macrumors newbie
Nov 5, 2003
17
0
Columbus, Ohio
I couldn't agree more. I don't understand why Starbucks is such a dinosaur in this arena. I don't go to Starbucks because their coffee is horrible, so it doesn't really affect me a whole lot, but it's just weird that they charge for wifi. They're the only ones that I know of in these parts (Columbus, OH) that do.

Dave S.


ruckus said:
I don't know about anyone else, but I absolutely refuse to pay for internet access in public. I am currently living in Oklahoma, and even out here, there are tons of places I can go that offer free wireless internet.

Paid internet access is dead in my opinion. Its just too much of a hassle.
Click to expand...
 
tothelimit

tothelimit

macrumors regular
Jan 9, 2008
178
0
South Florida
nagromme said:
Do iPod Touch users currently get free access at AT&T hotspots? I assume it's only iPhone customers?

(Unless you are an AT&T broadband customer at home--I know hotspots are free then.)
Click to expand...

since the iPod touch is not service based in any way - I think its users will always have to pay for access.

iPhone users do not CURRENTLY get free access...

from the thread:
"Of interest, AT&T stated that it "will soon extend the benefits of Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its wireless customers"."
 
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