AT&T offers iPhone owners free access to 17,000 WiFi hotspots
After months of confusion and a couple of false starts, AT&T formally announced Friday that iPhone owners in the United States can now access free of charge its nation-leading Wi-Fi network comprised of more than 17,000 hotspots.
"AT&T knows Wi-Fi is hot, and free Wi-Fi even hotter, which is why we are proud to offer iPhone customers free access to the nation's largest Wi-Fi hotspot network with more than 17,000 hotspots, including Starbucks," the company said. "Now users can relax and access music, e-mail and web browsing services with their favorite blend in hand from the comfort of their favorite location."
Of those 17,000 hotspots, more than 8000 are located in restaurants or Starbucks locations, 700+ in bookstores, and another 50+ can be found in supermarkets. The network is also accessible at 12 airports, 31 hotels, 23 universities, 18 convention centers, and 5 sport complexes.
iPhone owners can use this link to locate AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots in cafés, bookstores, airports, hotels, and universities, or this link to find their nearest Starbucks location.
Once in range of an AT&T hotspot, iPhone users simply need to attempt to access any webpage via their handset's built-in Safari web browser. This will trigger an AT&T "Get Connected Now" login page that will ask users to input their iPhone's mobile number and agree to a set of terms of service before granting access.
Update: AT&T clearly does not have its act together when it comes to this offering and has for fourth time changed its mind. Around noon Eastern time, the company pulled the latest announcement from which this report was based, citing yet another error on the part of its employees by posting the announcement.
"AT&T knows Wi-Fi is hot, and free Wi-Fi even hotter, which is why we are proud to offer iPhone customers free access to the nation's largest Wi-Fi hotspot network with more than 17,000 hotspots, including Starbucks," the company said. "Now users can relax and access music, e-mail and web browsing services with their favorite blend in hand from the comfort of their favorite location."
Of those 17,000 hotspots, more than 8000 are located in restaurants or Starbucks locations, 700+ in bookstores, and another 50+ can be found in supermarkets. The network is also accessible at 12 airports, 31 hotels, 23 universities, 18 convention centers, and 5 sport complexes.
iPhone owners can use this link to locate AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots in cafés, bookstores, airports, hotels, and universities, or this link to find their nearest Starbucks location.
Once in range of an AT&T hotspot, iPhone users simply need to attempt to access any webpage via their handset's built-in Safari web browser. This will trigger an AT&T "Get Connected Now" login page that will ask users to input their iPhone's mobile number and agree to a set of terms of service before granting access.
Update: AT&T clearly does not have its act together when it comes to this offering and has for fourth time changed its mind. Around noon Eastern time, the company pulled the latest announcement from which this report was based, citing yet another error on the part of its employees by posting the announcement.
Comments
Would this work for iPhone users laptops as well?
Only if you subscribe to AT&T internet services (thru AT&T Yahoo DSL or Uverse) I believe.
By the way, I've been using this for months at area Starbuck's, didn't realize there were problems with the rollout.
Would this work for iPhone users laptops as well?
based on the criteria seen here, I don't see why not
I think it might. Am excited to try this weekend. What you need to do is identify your browser (Safari) as an iPhone and then use you number to log in. This worked when this service was rolled out under the radar a couple months ago. Hopefully it will work again.
How would one go about doing this? Care to elaborate?
AT&T has taken this down and called it another error. They need to make up their minds.
Yeah -- this is really getting ridiculous on their part.
Sorry about this guys, the announcement was up when we went to press.
Best,
K
AT&T has been providing WiFi at Starbuck's for over 4 months now, and frankly this has been working for me ever since. I've used it at 3 different Starbuck's locations without a problem. So are some metro areas functioning and others not?
Not sure how you've been using wi-fi at Starbucks, but AT&T DSL customers have had free wi-fi at AT&T hotspots for over a year. The current issue concerns free AT&T wi-fi for iPhone customers, independently of whether they have AT&T DSL.
Not sure how you've been using wi-fi at Starbucks, but AT&T DSL customers have had free wi-fi at AT&T hotspots for over a year. The current issue concerns free AT&T wi-fi for iPhone customers, independently of whether they have AT&T DSL.
Well, I've been connecting my laptop at Starbuck's as you said without a problem (yes I am an AT&T DSL customer). Regarding the iPhone, though, it gives me a screen exactly like those in the screen shots for the iPhone specific login. I use my wireless number in this case and, as I said, have connected without a problem. I'll try again later today, maybe I am connecting thru my DSL account.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1216...googlenews_wsj
AT&T should be embarrassed by this whole iPhone WiFi pile of misinformation. Totally.
The full list of Starbucks stores that are closing is available here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1216...googlenews_wsj
Available? Don't forget the $89 subscription fee...
whats the big deal with this? with the data plan you get Internet any way
WiFi is faster...
In the skit, and hologram version of Richard Nixon is asked a simple question. The resulting "Yes!", "No!", "Yes!", "No!" responses are hilarious.
So just remember iPhone 3G owners...
We're All Bozos On This Bus
The full list of Starbucks stores that are closing is available here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1216...googlenews_wsj
AT&T should be embarrassed by this whole iPhone WiFi pile of misinformation. Totally.
can you post the list?..as this is not available to non-WSJ subscribers
can you post the list?..as this is not available to non-WSJ subscribers
http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/USStoreClosureInfo.pdf