Comments on: AT&T and Starbucks Finally Launch Free WiFi; Not Really Free

By: rusty

rusty — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:40:30 +0000

Wheres the free wifi for ipod touch users we were promised by el jobso.

By: porsche

porsche — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:59:42 +0000

How is this any different than the two drink minimum at the local strip club. You want to browse? you got to have a drink.

- Porsche

By: John Bell

John Bell — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:22:10 +0000

Are you people for real? Of COURSE you have to buy a coffee to get free access. You have to be joking if you expected you could just plop your cheap butt down in a ‘bucks and expect free internet. In fact, most places require that, and more than one have sued people over wifi theft.

You’re actually complaining that you can get two hours of free internet via AT&T over paying $9.99 for a “day” of access that most people use less than an hour of.

Did I just land on another planet?

By: Scot Scheuring

Scot Scheuring — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:49:57 +0000

I don’t ever remember them saying it was going to be free for anyone and everyone without any catches. Just free for certain AT&T customers with iPhone, certain DSL plans, etc.

By: Jordan Brown

Jordan Brown — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 01:40:31 +0000

my verizon wireless air card says the same thing in T.O.S. but that doesn’t stop me from gaming online with my 360 with it…. or streaming video… or any of that. It just depends if they want to enforce it or not.

By: GRRRE ATT

GRRRE ATT — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:48:23 +0000

Well, there’s even more you might not like about SB’s daily “free” 2 hours of wifi: AT&Ts terms of service says it’s use is only for email, “basic web browser” and FTP downloads. That excludes like… using it for skype, stream video, internet radio, file-sharing, instant messages, etc. Is this their way of “motivating” you to buy a paid AT&T or T-mobile wifi subscription? It won’t work for me. Dunno how they’ll enforce this limitation on freebie wifi time, but it’s there in AT&Ts T.O.S. should they ever need an excuse to cut folks off:

“You agree that all connections to the Internet via ATTIS’s connectivity shall be for the limited purposes of accessing electronic mail, operating a basic web browser such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer, or downloading files via the ‘ftp’ protocol typically implemented in web browser programs.”

By: piccabo

piccabo — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:43:38 +0000

I liked Tmobile better, just get a plan, or pay for the day…. att always has to mess up the simple stuff. Im glad my tmobile one still works there, i dont have to mess with all that crap.

By: John

John — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:40:21 +0000

Bring back TMO!!!

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:53:43 +0000

I think that these rules are for anyone who walks into a Starbuck’s and wants to use the wifi regardless of provider. It was my impression that AT&T customers would be allowed access for free.

By: AKAJohnDoe

AKAJohnDoe — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:09:42 +0000

I had a T-Mobile hotspot account, which I did not use for 30 days, so T-Mobile closed and cancelled my account. Therefore, the AT&T + Starbucks + registered Starbucks card will work fine for me.

By: n95aholic

n95aholic — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:35:57 +0000

its a good thing i can always just tether with my n95 and have 3g speeds whenever and wherever i want. all for only 15 bucks a month data plan

By: dmackdaddy

dmackdaddy — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:32:28 +0000

I was just in Puerto Vallarta and for a 4.00 Mocha Frap was able to get on their decently set up WIFI while I waited for my sad flight back to SFO. BTW, I own SBUX at 16.00 on the recent slide!

By: Huskyfan

Huskyfan — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:12:13 +0000

So many stipulations, I don’t want to have to try to remember if I forked out for a $5 coffee in the last 30 days to get my wi-fi. I’ll just do all of my work at home thank you. (And make my own espresso)

By: Adam Z Lein

Adam Z Lein — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:04:05 +0000

T-Mobile has a roaming agreement, so if you have T-Mobile Hotspots, it will still work at Starbucks for at least another 5 years. So that’s pretty good.

By: jelly

jelly — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:01:35 +0000

that sucks, bring back tmobile

By: John B.

John B. — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:41:28 +0000

Screw Starbucks, especially since their coffee sucks (imho).

Panera has free wi-fi, and same or better coffee and more food options.

So do lots of other coffee shops.

2 hour blocks and buy a card? Way to over think something simple.

By: jahmel

jahmel — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:55:55 +0000

With MY 3g iPhone coming who need coffee to go online?