AT&T Waiting for Wi-Fi Rollout to Launch iPhone Access?

[MacRumors]

Despite numerous hints about AT&T's plans to offer free Wi-Fi to iPhone users, AT&T has yet to make an official announcement and the service is currently unavailable.

The reason for the delay may simply be that they have not yet deployed their Wi-fi hotspots to all Starbucks locations. AT&T only recently took over Wi-Fi service from T-Mobile at Starbucks and it appears the transition remains ongoing. The photo above was taken at a Starbucks in California.

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[Pippen Man]

What AT&T and Apple are preparing for is an iPhone 2.0 fiesta! This will be a extravaganza with chips and salsa celebrating iPhone 2.0, the AT&T Wi-Fi, the SDK, the AppStore, and many more! Look for invitations in the mall soon.

[EricNau]

I'm expecting it to be released at WWDC along with the iPhone, but that's just me.

[FreeState]

The Starbucks closest to my house has an employee that also works at the Apple Store so we always talk Apple together. Today he said that the AT7T broadband is set up in the store but its not working for anyone (even via a laptop). He said he thinks they are having a lot of issues getting it working here. They still offer T-Mobile wireless too.

[Chisholm]

Open the box already! More pics please!

[Ice Berg]

What other stores besides Starbucks are offering this free wi fi?

[Shadowriver]

Originally Posted by Chisholm

Open the box already! More pics please!

Too bad... sticker of doom is one the box ;p (run!!!)

[brianbobcat]

Originally Posted by FreeState

Today he said that the AT7T broadband is set up in the store but its not working for anyone (even via a laptop). He said he thinks they are having a lot of issues getting it working here. They still offer T-Mobile wireless too.

I went to 1 of the 3 Starbuck's I'm in the middle of, and this is exactly the case. My phone joined "T-mobile" and when I selected "attwifi" I got a log-in page, but not the one we saw last week for my iPhone number. So while I guess both T-mobile and AT&T may be active at this particular location, they're not setup for the iPhone...yet. To be honest, I don't see why AT&T would enable this so close to the 3G launch without doing it at the launch to piggy-back on all it's publicity.

-Brian

[slinky0390]

Originally Posted by Ice Berg

What other stores besides Starbucks are offering this free wi fi?

As of now, Starbucks is the only one offering it at the moment, My store has had AT&T operational since january when they were first surveying the NY metro area. I've been checking the promo rollout sheets and letters we get in, and I'm almost positive that the free iPhone wifi will coincide with the free starbucks card perks free wifi. Ill post back if i find out any more info.

[newyorksole]

My local McDonald's is an AT&T hotspot and when the wifi was free for the iPhone our McDonald's had it available. So McDonald's and Starbucks are hotspots.

[montypython]

Oh no! Water damage on the box...maybe thats why these WiFi hotspots aren't working yet.

Plus, all you need is the phone number of someone with an iPhone and you can get all the free WiFi you want! I love it.

[deannnnn]

Yeah, when I was at Starbucks yesterday (South Florida) I noticed that there were two wireless networks there... T-Mobile, and attwifi.... It was strange though because my Mac automatically joined "T-Mobile" but my iPhone automatically joined "attwifi"

[megfilmworks]

Originally Posted by montypython

Plus, all you need is the phone number of someone with an iPhone and you can get all the free WiFi you want! I love it.

Don't count on it. Hopefully they will lock out the spoofers and rip offs.

[change]

When i heard the first announcement (or rather read it on MacRumors ), i was so psyched to go check it out, only to find that they had disabled it again. All these clues and breadcrumbs and "turned on for a few hours" stories are tiring. Somebody email me when it actually works

In reality, as an "always on the go" person, this is awesome, and i can't wait for it. As much as i like to patronize local small businesses, clients always want to meet at Starbucks or some other big, recognizable chain that is an easy to find landmark. Free wireless would be sick! We should get it, as expensive a proposition this iPhone business has been.

[Doctor Q]

I thought the Starbucks Wi-Fi service was being introduced over a long period (many many months), city by city, with a schedule that was already announced, so I'm puzzled about this story.

[stagi]

has to be soon if they have the equipment at stores just ready to install.

[byrd45]

I tried every way under the sun to connect to ATT last night at SBUX but no luck. I couldn't even get the login page. It was a waste of 20 min, but the coffee was good!

[EagerDragon]

Originally Posted by montypython

Oh no! Water damage on the box...maybe thats why these WiFi hotspots aren't working yet.

Plus, all you need is the phone number of someone with an iPhone and you can get all the free WiFi you want! I love it.

Water Spots on Hot Spots usually not good.

[riverfreak]

ATT-WiFi was available yesterday at the starbucks on 6th ave and 23rd street, with free access on my iPhone.

Oddly, the T-Mobile network was still available, too.

[puckhead193]

found this: http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/2008...6tEcxFWBAxVrIF
finally cablevison is doing something good. Its prob. to keep people from switching to fios. no if only they would sell the knicks/rangers/msg i'd be happy(ier)

[theblueone]

Originally Posted by EagerDragon

Water Spots on Hot Spots usually not good.

Those look more like Double-Mocha-half-caff-light-whip-stale-coffee-somethingorother spots to me.

[Trundle]

Stopped by the SBux near my house...
ATT WiFi access was available and operational

North Hollywood, CA 91602

[djrobsd]

Originally Posted by Trundle

Stopped by the SBux near my house...
ATT WiFi access was available and operational

North Hollywood, CA 91602

Operational in what way? You get an iphone login page, or you get the at&t wifi login page where you have to be a DSL subscriber to get free wifi?