Lately, I’ve been testing out a few coffee spots in town and found an interesting trend. Everyone knows that Starbucks is hooked up as a T-Mobile hotspot. What some people don’t understand is the dynamics behind it all.
Today, I am at one of the local Starbucks waiting for a meeting to start. I figured I’d try out the hotspot they have here. But, as the penny pincher I am, I scanned the area before paying for my access. To my surprise, I found about 6 other networks. The first one I tried allowed me internet access.
Now, I tried this once before at a Starbucks in Banff, Canada and found the same thing. It’s making me think about why there would be free networks available so close to a Starbucks. Starbucks places their franchises in locations where there is traffic by business people and working upper class folk. At the same time, other businesses look for the same demographics to sell to. Some of these businesses rely on their wi-fi network for day to day operations. Others graciously wish to allow the general public easy, free access to the internet. A few more simply don’t know how to secure their open network. No matter the reason why, it seems that it would be difficult to sell a service to a population of people who know how to utilize a free network when they see one.
Good luck.
nate
Joao Carlos Caribe
Sérgio Rebelo
ankur sancheti
Posted by wireless aptrick on Sep 15, 2004 at 08:12am
Yo N8, do you have special sniffer software or was that just your wireless setup that found those?
I’m going to have to try that at a few local starbucks…
Posted by nate on Sep 15, 2004 at 09:17am
It was just my windows xp wireless network software (”View available networks”). No sniffer software necessary.
Posted by Penny Pitcher Also on Jul 11, 2006 at 11:19am
I knew starbucks is hooked up as a T-mobile hotspot. But I never knew they charged. Recently I stopped at a starbucks and all networks available were secured. At all my local coffee shops including starbucks there are lots of free available networks. I just think since they charge so much for their grandes they should have a free internet access.
Posted by nate on Jul 11, 2006 at 03:32pm
Penny,
Yea, I fully agree. I wish they had free hotspots too. The stats show for most coffeehouses that making people pay for wi-fi doesn’t even pay the internet bill, so it’s not worth the hassle of forcing people to pay. Might as well give it away for free.
I don’t know if Starbucks fits that stat, but I agree that they should just be free regardless. But, their advantage is the semi-ubiquity of not only their own stores, but the wi-fi service they offer in each store. Because it’s all the same stuff, they can probably get away with that.
Posted by Maple on Dec 18, 2006 at 09:32pm
Hi all, here in Thailand, we have to pay 150THB (almost 4USD) per hour in Starbucks for WIFI. I’m wondering if there is anyway I can access this for free. I think my internet cost should be already included in my drink already not another extra charge on that, this is not fair for consumers! Will be great favor if anyone can guide how to access this for free… Thx
Posted by nate on Dec 19, 2006 at 09:28am
Hi Maple,
I, personally, don’t know how to get free access out of the T-Mobile Starbucks hotspots. Perhaps someone else will, though. If they do, they’ll post here.
Thanks for the comment, and welcome to the blog.
Posted by Maple on Dec 19, 2006 at 05:28pm
Thx Nate, someday somehow if anyone can get it, it not then it’s ok… Hopefully, in future it will be free of charge like Starbucks in Malaysia… Have a nice day to you alll!
Posted by ral on Oct 21, 2007 at 05:21pm
hi all,
I just came back from a starbucks today, and I want to express what iwas thinking while paying for my coffee. I don’t think its fare to pay a rediclous $4 dollars per hour for the Internet and it should be for free like so many other cofee shops.
Thanks
Posted by Anonymous on Feb 04, 2008 at 10:55am
For those interested in the reason why internet is not free at starbucks, I have a single, expensive phrase for you: breach of contract. Starbucks signed a contract with T-Mobile when wireless was relatively new. They signed a very long contract, and are awaiting it’s end before they can begin to offer free wifi. Just FYI
Posted by nate on Feb 04, 2008 at 11:28am
Anon, thanks! That’s great information to hear about.
Posted by Devilbob on Feb 11, 2008 at 06:02pm
Sorry, Anon, but it looks like Star%ucks is partnering with AT&T to provide 2 hours free access for people who use the Star%ucks card. If you want access beyond the 2 hours it’s going to cost ya.
Nate, be careful about signing on to open networks. I’m not sure about your locality, but here in Virginia ANY unauthorized access (meaning you don’t have specific permission) to a network is illegal.
Posted by Sarah on May 10, 2008 at 11:05am
DevilBob, I actually had heard (and I’m not sure if it’s true, but just what I heard), that the one who would get in trouble should someone sign on to their open network is the person who’s network it is. Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but that was just what I heard. Maybe because it’s their responsibility to make sure that it’s secured?