Starbucks has been offering Wireless internet access at its coffee shops around the US for ages… but while independent coffee shops typically go the free WiFi route, Starbucks started out charging for access. A few years back, the company partnered with AT&T to provide free access — but only for customers who registered for an account, and only for the first two hours. Now Starbucks is going one step further and offering 1-click access to AT&T WiFi at all of its US locations, starting on July 1st.

Starbucks also plans to launch a service called “Starbucks Digital Network” later this fall. The company will work with Yahoo! to provide Starbucks customers with free access to some paid sites such as the Wall Street Journal web site, as well as free downloads of “exclusive content and previews.”

In other words, Starbucks really wants to give you a reason to sit down and spend some time in their coffee shops. If you were planning on doing that anyway, then the new easier-to-access WiFi and the new content portal are nothing to complain about.

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7 replies on “Starbucks to launch free, nationwide WiFi on July 1st”

  1. I hopt they bring this to the UK too! At the moment I can get free WiFi from the Pret shop next door if I sit in the far corner. Unfortunately I’m not the only one to have realised this so it’s hard to get the best spot.

    The only prob I have with free WiFi though is security, who knows who is sniffing your traffic. I guess httpss sites are OK as it is encrypted from the point of your browser.

    I often end up sticking to my 3G modem to keep things more secure.

  3. I know very well Starbucks wifi policies. I was in Chicago ready to catch a plane to Europe and I want to check my flights schedule. starbucks wanted to sell me a year long plain !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Panera let me in for free and I enjoyed a brand new salad. Since then I swear I would have never spend a cent at starbuck anymore. Too late too little , it shows that the brand IS IN TROUBLE. sell sell sell

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