Sunday, February 10, 2008

Starbucks Teams with AT&T for Wi-Fi service

Starbucks is teaming up with AT&T for Wi-Fi service at its more than 7,000 company-operated Starbucks locations across the United States.


T-Mobile had previously been the Wi-Fi provider for Starbucks.


Under the deal, Starbucks and AT&T will offer a mix of free and paid Wi-Fi offerings at Starbucks stores. 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-verse 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 initiative further expands the AT&T Wi-Fi network, already the largest in the United States, to more than 17,000 U.S. hot spots and more than 70,000 globally.


In addition to the free Wi-Fi access for qualifying AT&T customers and any Starbucks Card holder, customers will be able to purchase tiered access for $3.99 for a two-hour session. Monthly membership will also be available for $19.99 per month, and will include access to any of AT&T's 70,000 hot spots in 89 countries around the world.http://www.att.comhttp://www.starbucks.com