Free AT&T Wi-Fi Access for iPhones

MacRumors · 08:24 PM

A couple of readers have reported that AT&T hotspots are now offering free Wi-fi access to iPhone users. AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots at Barnes and Noble as well as Starbucks are now offering iPhone users a custom portal to access free Wi-fi. A special iPhone formatted page asks for your mobile phone number. Once entered, you can access the Wi-fi access for free. Blurry photo provided: MacRumors has been able to confirm this finding at a local Barnes and Noble.

AT&T recently partnered with Starbucks to provide Wi-fi access to Starbucks' 7000 stores nationwide. This partnership allowed existing AT&T broadband customers free access and AT&T promised that it would "soon extend the benefits of Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its wireless customers", but no official announcement has yet been made.

Article Link

Grimace · Apr 30, 2008, 06:13 PM

Awesome, finally a benefit from having AT&T&T&T!!

pkoch1 · Apr 30, 2008, 06:15 PM

Where was this found? What state(s)?

nineteentwelve · Apr 30, 2008, 06:15 PM

It seems that iPhone users get the best deal when going to Starbucks then. What with access to the custom iTunes Store, and now this. Nice deal if you ask me.

cheekybobcat · Apr 30, 2008, 06:16 PM

Definitely a plus for iPhone owners. I don't think this will be a plan-switcher for most :/

Can't wait to get mine though!

Foxglove9 · Apr 30, 2008, 06:17 PM

I thought if you owned an iPhone you automatically had wifi access as part of your AT&T service?

arn · Apr 30, 2008, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pkoch1

Where was this found? What state(s)?

Barnes & Noble in Virginia here. one of the user reports said NY.

arn

superfula · Apr 30, 2008, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxglove9

I thought if you owned an iPhone you automatically had wifi access as part of your AT&T service?

Nope. At least not up until now.

hypermark · 12:03 AM

A side bit of goodness is that I am an AT&T DSL customer who happens to also own an iPod touch (not iPhone). In any event, I went by Starbucks today discovered the AT&T Wi-Fi connection in my settings, chose that, input my AT&T email address and password, and woila, FREE Wi-Fi on my iPod touch. Very cool.

Mark

Sky Blue · Apr 30, 2008, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxglove9

I thought if you owned an iPhone you automatically had wifi access as part of your AT&T service?

I believe you normally have to pay for access at some stores.

nineteentwelve · Apr 30, 2008, 06:20 PM

Is this going to let iPhone users from across the world use AT&T Wi-Fi for free? For instance, if I was to visit New York and go to Starbucks, could my O2 iPhone log on for free. I doubt it myself, but I was just wondering how it is going to differentiate between the two. Or will just be based on the iPhone's browser user agent?

EDIT: I've just realised you need to log in with an AT&T username and password. Duh.

Thudpucker · Apr 30, 2008, 06:24 PM

It came up in Houston last weekend (4/26-27) but I've got t-mobile and couldn't use it -- the login screen came up automatically but didn't take my t-mobile #. Guess if you've got an unlocked iPhone it's edge only at Starbucks (didn't seem to be any way around the 'free ATT iphone' login screen to use an alternate wifi access account).

PlaceofDis · Apr 30, 2008, 06:25 PM

very nice! i'll have a stop at starbucks tomorrow and see if its here in Chicagoland yet.

zap2 · Apr 30, 2008, 06:27 PM

soo cool!

can I use my cell number for Wi-Fi on my laptop, or just the iPhone?

albeik · Apr 30, 2008, 06:28 PM

I always use EDGE at my local Starbucks here in Acton, MA. But this morning I got the said page on my iPhone with Free WiFi access. Sweeeeeet!

I was going to post it here - but I guess I was a little late :-P

deep · Apr 30, 2008, 06:29 PM

I just keep getting more and more value out of this freaking awesome phone!!! All things non-Apple just suck!

happydude · Apr 30, 2008, 06:31 PM

. . . if only i drank coffee . . .

arn · Apr 30, 2008, 06:31 PM

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

Quote:

Originally Posted by zap2

soo cool!

can I use my cell number for Wi-Fi on my laptop, or just the iPhone?

If you hit it with your laptop it goes to the normal login page which asks for a username and password

bassist51 · Apr 30, 2008, 06:32 PM

Does anybody know if the wifi can be accessed with an ipod touch?

deannnnn · Apr 30, 2008, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zap2

an I use my cell number for Wi-Fi on my laptop, or just the iPhone?

Yeah I was wondering the same thing...
I'm going to try it out tomorrow =)

D4F · Apr 30, 2008, 06:32 PM

Going to stop at Starbucks soon here in South FL and check it out.

NewSc2 · Apr 30, 2008, 06:34 PM

what?!?!?! no @^$*$# way. this is awesome news.

albeik · Apr 30, 2008, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happydude

. . . if only i drank coffee . . .

I don't drink coffee... Always get my No-Water Soy Chai

moo083 · Apr 30, 2008, 06:35 PM

I was at Starbucks on Saturday and saw this. Totally awesome. But I thought I would mention that the first time I got an error and it went to a T-Mobile error page. I guess AT&T is using the old T-Mobile Hotspots.

Dreil · Apr 30, 2008, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arn

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

If you hit it with your laptop it goes to the normal login page which asks for a username and password

Has anyone tried User Agent -> Mobil Safari 1.1.3 -- iPhone? That should allow you to get it.

Apr 30, 2008, 06:12 PM	#1
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	Free AT&T Wi-Fi Access for iPhones A couple of readers have reported that AT&T hotspots are now offering free Wi-fi access to iPhone users. AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots at Barnes and Noble as well as Starbucks are now offering iPhone users a custom portal to access free Wi-fi. A special iPhone formatted page asks for your mobile phone number. Once entered, you can access the Wi-fi access for free. Blurry photo provided: MacRumors has been able to confirm this finding at a local Barnes and Noble. AT&T recently partnered with Starbucks to provide Wi-fi access to Starbucks' 7000 stores nationwide. This partnership allowed existing AT&T broadband customers free access and AT&T promised that it would "soon extend the benefits of Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its wireless customers", but no official announcement has yet been made. Article Link Last edited by arn : Apr 30, 2008 at 08:24 PM.

Apr 30, 2008, 06:13 PM	#2
Grimace Contributor Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: with Hamburglar.	Awesome, finally a benefit from having AT&T&T&T!! __________________ Canon 1Ds Mk III • Canon 5D MkII 16-35mm f/2.8L II • 24-70mm f/2.8L • 70-200mm f/2.8L IS 50mm f/1.2L • 85mm f/1.2L • 135mm f/2L • 300mm f/2.8L IS

Apr 30, 2008, 06:15 PM	#3
pkoch1 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Boston	Where was this found? What state(s)? __________________ 2009 Mac Pro 2.26GHz Mactopus

Apr 30, 2008, 06:16 PM	#5
cheekybobcat macrumors 6502a Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: U-S of A	Definitely a plus for iPhone owners. I don't think this will be a plan-switcher for most :/ Can't wait to get mine though! __________________ iPod Touch 1G 16GB 2.2 w/ App Pack [Clean] OS X Leopard 10.5.6 13" MacBook 160GB 2.2 GHz OS X Tiger 10.4.11 G4 PowerMac 80GB 867MHz

Apr 30, 2008, 06:17 PM	#6
Foxglove9 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brooklyn, NY	I thought if you owned an iPhone you automatically had wifi access as part of your AT&T service? __________________ Xbox Gamertag: Foxglove9 \| Wii Code: 1187 4485 4656 9972 2.16 Ghz MacBook C2D HP Mini 110 running OS X

Apr 30, 2008, 06:15 PM	#4
nineteentwelve macrumors regular Join Date: May 2007 Location: Shrewsbury, UK	It seems that iPhone users get the best deal when going to Starbucks then. What with access to the custom iTunes Store, and now this. Nice deal if you ask me.

Apr 30, 2008, 06:19 PM	#9
hypermark macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2008	A side bit of goodness is that I am an AT&T DSL customer who happens to also own an iPod touch (not iPhone). In any event, I went by Starbucks today discovered the AT&T Wi-Fi connection in my settings, chose that, input my AT&T email address and password, and woila, FREE Wi-Fi on my iPod touch. Very cool. Mark Last edited by Doctor Q : May 1, 2008 at 12:03 AM. Reason: removed simulated signature; use your real forum signature

Apr 30, 2008, 06:20 PM	#11
nineteentwelve macrumors regular Join Date: May 2007 Location: Shrewsbury, UK	Is this going to let iPhone users from across the world use AT&T Wi-Fi for free? For instance, if I was to visit New York and go to Starbucks, could my O2 iPhone log on for free. I doubt it myself, but I was just wondering how it is going to differentiate between the two. Or will just be based on the iPhone's browser user agent? EDIT: I've just realised you need to log in with an AT&T username and password. Duh.

Apr 30, 2008, 06:24 PM	#12
Thudpucker macrumors newbie Join Date: Apr 2008	Houston It came up in Houston last weekend (4/26-27) but I've got t-mobile and couldn't use it -- the login screen came up automatically but didn't take my t-mobile #. Guess if you've got an unlocked iPhone it's edge only at Starbucks (didn't seem to be any way around the 'free ATT iphone' login screen to use an alternate wifi access account).

Apr 30, 2008, 06:25 PM	#13
PlaceofDis macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Chicago.	very nice! i'll have a stop at starbucks tomorrow and see if its here in Chicagoland yet. __________________ dim my eyes on the waves of confessions... SpringWarmCold

Apr 30, 2008, 06:27 PM	#14
zap2 macrumors 601 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NJ	soo cool! can I use my cell number for Wi-Fi on my laptop, or just the iPhone? __________________ "We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by." Will Rogers

Apr 30, 2008, 06:28 PM	#15
albeik macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2003	I always use EDGE at my local Starbucks here in Acton, MA. But this morning I got the said page on my iPhone with Free WiFi access. Sweeeeeet! I was going to post it here - but I guess I was a little late :-P __________________ "Quality is not a function of time spent, but a function of the effectiveness of the effort."

Apr 30, 2008, 06:29 PM	#16
deep macrumors newbie Join Date: May 2007	Great!!! I just keep getting more and more value out of this freaking awesome phone!!! All things non-Apple just suck!

Apr 30, 2008, 06:31 PM	#17
happydude macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: a country with a new sense of hope	a nice little perk . . . . . . if only i drank coffee . . . __________________ hi

Apr 30, 2008, 06:32 PM	#19
bassist51 macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2007	Does anybody know if the wifi can be accessed with an ipod touch?

Apr 30, 2008, 06:32 PM	#21
D4F macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Planet Earth	Going to stop at Starbucks soon here in South FL and check it out. __________________ 13" Macbook Pro

Apr 30, 2008, 06:34 PM	#22
NewSc2 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orange County, CA	what?!?!?! no @^$*$# way. this is awesome news. __________________ Mac Pro + 30" ACD, 15" MBP, iPhone 3GS Logic & Ableton user Canon 40D + 17-55 f/2.8 IS

Apr 30, 2008, 06:35 PM	#24
moo083 macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA	Seen it I was at Starbucks on Saturday and saw this. Totally awesome. But I thought I would mention that the first time I got an error and it went to a T-Mobile error page. I guess AT&T is using the old T-Mobile Hotspots.

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