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Starbucks: Free Wi-Fi at 6,700 US sites

By Ashley M. Heher, AP Retail Writer | June 14, 2010

CHICAGO --Starbucks Corp. will begin offering unlimited free wireless
Internet access at all company-operated U.S. locations starting July
1, part of an ongoing effort to bring more customers in the door.

The Wi-Fi access, which will eventually include a new network of news
and entertainment content exclusively for customers, comes as
Starbucks works to take business back from rivals like McDonald's
Corp. and independent cafes that have long offered free Internet.

The cafe chain, which recorded its first quarterly increase in
customers in 13 quarters earlier this year, had previously offered
two free hours of Web access each day to registered customers.

On average, laptop users spend about an hour using the wireless
Internet in Starbucks stores while mobile phone users who can use
Wi-Fi spend about 15 minutes on the network.

After the two-hour window, consumers at the Seattle chain were
charged $3.99 for two additional hours.

Officials said Monday that access will continue to be offered through
AT&T. But it won't require a Starbucks loyalty card, according to the
announcement Monday by CEO Howard Schultz, who spoke at a conference
in New York.

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