According to a release from the caffeine addiction leader, T-Mobile is no longer going to be their Wi-Fi Hotspot provider. This morning the two companies announced plans to deliver AT&T Wi-Fi service at more than seven thousand company-operated Starbucks locations across the United States. Starbucks and AT&T will offer a mix of free and paid Wi-Fi offerings at Starbucks stores to meet the needs of both frequent and occasional Starbucks Wi-Fi customers the companies said.
According to a release from the caffeine addiction leader, T-Mobile is no longer going to be their Wi-Fi Hotspot provider. This morning the two companies announced plans to deliver AT&T Wi-Fi service at more than seven thousand company-operated Starbucks locations across the United States. (Photo: J. Anderson)
Beginning this spring, Starbucks Card holders will get up to two hours of free Wi-Fi service per day at locations offering Wi-Fi access. Existing AT&T broadband and AT&T U-verse Internet customers will have unlimited free access to the Wi-Fi service. In addition, more than five-million of AT&T’s remote access services business customers will be able to access Wi-Fi service at Starbucks locations. AT&T wireless customers will get the same deal as well.
“This is what our customers have been waiting for — free Starbucks-quality Wi-Fi,” said Chris Bruzzo, chief technology officer, Starbucks Coffee Company. “Through our new partnership with AT&T, we also welcome their millions of current customers who can now come in and enjoy free Wi-Fi as part of their daily Starbucks Experience.”
In addition to the free Wi-Fi access for AT&T customers and any Starbucks Card holder, customers will be able to purchase tiered access to the AT&T Wi-Fi network. For a two-hour period, customers will pay just $3.99 per session. Monthly membership will also be available for $19.99 per month, and will include access to any of AT&T’s hot spots around the world.
What about the existing T-Mobile users? "T-Mobile HotSpot customers will be able to continue to access Wi-Fi services at no additional cost, through an agreement between AT&T and T-Mobile," Starbucks said in a statement. While the move to AT&T is not too shocking, it is out of place considering the hype given last September to the T-Mobile deal.
“People want to stay connected to their world 24/7, and Wi-Fi hot spots, broadband and wireless make that mobility possible,” said Rick Welday, AT&T chief marketing officer, Consumer. “Laptops and smartphones give us the online mobility we crave, and now millions of AT&T and Starbucks customers will get Internet access free from the comfort of their neighborhood Starbucks.”
The availability of AT&T Wi-Fi service at Starbucks will take place on a market-by-market basis with store implementation beginning this spring and completed by the end of the year.
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