Starbuck’s WiFi is about to “go Google,” rewarding coffee patrons with Internet connection speeds up to 10 times faster than they now enjoy — even if they drink decaf.
The official Google Blog announced the news: “Coffee shop + Internet—it’s a pairing that many of us have come to rely on. WiFi access makes work time, downtime, travel time and lots of in-between times more enjoyable and productive. That’s why we’re teaming up with Starbucks to bring faster, free WiFi connections to all 7,000 company-operated Starbucks stores in the United States over the next 18 months. When your local Starbucks WiFi network goes Google, you’ll be able to surf the web at speeds up to 10x faster than before. If you’re in a Google Fiber city, we’re hoping to get you a connection that’s up to 100x faster.”
The free Internet connection at Starbucks has become an important part of many communities over the years, such as in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, or for students without Internet at home who do their homework at Starbucks.
Google will start rolling out the new networks this August. You’ll know your new network is ready to go when you can log in to the “Google Starbucks” SSID. [24×7]
