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Starbucks Ditches AT&T for Free Google Wi-Fi
Google has rather quietly been ramping up their deployment of free Wi-Fi lately, funding a number of smaller deployments (Pryor, Oklahoma and Douglasville, Georgia) before recently announcing they'll be offering free Wi-Fi in 31 San Francisco parks. Now in the biggest free Wi-Fi move yet, Google has announced that Starbucks will be ditching AT&T's free Wi-FI service for Google's. From a blog post:
quote:
...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.
Google says the first networks won't pop up until August under the "Google Starbucks" SSID.
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elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray

Member

Welcome improvement - what's the catch?

Most Starbucks in California are fed by a T-1; once in a while, if I visit one with lots of seating (and campers), even I can feel the performance hit.

One has to wonder what Google's angle is.
brianiscool
join:2000-08-16
Tampa, FL

brianiscool

Member

Re: Welcome improvement - what's the catch?

I don't use slow speed public Wi-fi. I notice a lot of people who can't afford the internet go there to use it.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx to elray

Member

to elray
Probably no catch. If you have a better Internet connection, Google will make more money by proxy. My guess is that they'll be swapping AT&T T1s for business class cable connections in Starbucks locations where they can't pull their own fiber. The resulting speed increase will cause folks to view more pages than they would otherwise...and if Google gets even half a dozen ad clicks per day per store due to the changes, they've paid for their free WiFi, more than likely.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy to elray

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to elray
Even though Verizon landline refuses to deploy FiOS here, they do have a lot of fiber optic lines in business districts around here. They also have fiber lines around the schools (both public and private).

I know because I know how utility lines are run. And those fiber lines are piggybacked on the Verizon copper lines.

I'm sure Starbucks is too cheap to pay for a Metro Ethernet connection. Their business is selling coffee, food, and other consumables; not providing internet access. If you want secure and reliable internet access, use a mobile broadband card like I do.

With schools and other businesses that use internet for day to day operations, then they'll cough up the money for a better internet connection. Starbucks has broadband because they want to process credit/debit/gift card transactions quickly and for their business operations. You would have a bunch of angry customers if they used a phone line to process plastic money as you have to wait for it to dial the processor and return a response. Using a credit card terminal on a broadband connection makes using plastic faster than paper/coin currency.

Ultibeam
join:2008-05-27
USA

Ultibeam

Member

Re: Welcome improvement - what's the catch?

said by IowaCowboy:

I'm sure Starbucks is too cheap to pay for a Metro Ethernet connection. Their business is selling coffee, food, and other consumables; not providing internet access. If you want secure and reliable internet access, use a mobile broadband card like I do.

I believe Google will be responsible for the cost of upgrading and maintaining the infrastructure.
TBBroadband
join:2012-10-26
Fremont, OH

TBBroadband

Member

Re: Welcome improvement - what's the catch?

The same as AT&T currently does. And generally companies like Starbucks don't use land based connections for credit card processing. they use Hughes Net; one provider, a basic connection, and a VPN connection to the corp office.
OwlSaver
OwlSaver
Premium Member
join:2005-01-30
Berwyn, PA

OwlSaver to IowaCowboy

Premium Member

to IowaCowboy
I would actually expect them to use Metro Ethernet on a bulk national purchase agreement.

djdanska
Rudie32
Premium Member
join:2001-04-21
San Diego, CA

djdanska to elray

Premium Member

to elray
a T-1 with a bunch of kids trying to stream HD youtube and FAIL.
I don't even bother using starbucks wifi unless i have absolutely no choice.

aztecnology
O Rly?
Premium Member
join:2003-02-12
Murrieta, CA

aztecnology to elray

Premium Member

to elray
Google is partnering with Level 3, and Level 3 will manage network connectivity, equipment, etc...
majortom1029
join:2006-10-19
Medford, NY

majortom1029 to elray

Member

to elray
said by elray:

Most Starbucks in California are fed by a T-1; once in a while, if I visit one with lots of seating (and campers), even I can feel the performance hit.

One has to wonder what Google's angle is.

My local starbucks wifi is run by dsl.
mocycler
Premium Member
join:2001-01-22

1 recommendation

mocycler to elray

Premium Member

to elray
Level 3, Covad, MetroCom...it doesn't matter. They have very little infrastructure of their own and all of them combined would not have anywhere near the required end-to-end network to support thousands of Wifi hot spots.

"The Catch" is they buy their transport circuits from AT&T or Verizon, so in the end one of the legacy Bells always get paid.

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt to elray

Premium Member

to elray
said by elray:

Most Starbucks in California are fed by a T-1; once in a while, if I visit one with lots of seating (and campers), even I can feel the performance hit.

One has to wonder what Google's angle is.

Just by using a T1 it would be a performance hit. A T1 is very slow.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

I'll use my MiFi

I'm typing this as I enjoy dinner at Panera Bread using my MacBook Pro. I have an evening to kill while mom and grandma are shopping at the Holyoke Mall a few miles up the road so I might as well grab a dinner and enjoy a soda and work on my MacBook Pro.

Internet on the MacBook Pro provided by Verizon Wireless through my MiFi.

My favorite meal at Panera is the You Pick 2 with a ceasar salad and italian combo but since I have been battling acid reflux I go for the smoked turkey (easier on the stomach)
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: I'll use my MiFi

Why not use Panera's free WiFi? Other than the fact that free restaurant WiFi is almost without fail excruciatingly slow, the Panera near me in Austin being no exception?

I have three carriers of connectivity that I can tether (all of the big four except AT&T) but I'll still try to use restaurant/coffee shop WiFi when available, especially if my Low-cap Verizon iPad is the only thing with a 4G connection available at that spot.

djdanska
Rudie32
Premium Member
join:2001-04-21
San Diego, CA

djdanska

Premium Member

Re: I'll use my MiFi

said by iansltx:

Why not use Panera's free WiFi? Other than the fact that free restaurant WiFi is almost without fail excruciatingly slow, the Panera near me in Austin being no exception?

I have three carriers of connectivity that I can tether (all of the big four except AT&T) but I'll still try to use restaurant/coffee shop WiFi when available, especially if my Low-cap Verizon iPad is the only thing with a 4G connection available at that spot.

If it's set like the Panera's i go to, the parental filter is set to nazi mode.
Not worth it.
TBBroadband
join:2012-10-26
Fremont, OH

TBBroadband to iansltx

Member

to iansltx
If he used the Wifi at Panara or any where else, he couldn't give VZ any free marketing.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: I'll use my MiFi

Meh, whatever.

Posted from my computer, tethered to my VZW iPad, because five bars of LTE works better than the backup ISP that's backing the hotel WiFi here. I'd tether to my TMo-powered Nexus 4, but they have a single T1 powering an HSPA+ site. And my Sprint GSIII flickers between a weak Sprint signal and roaming on EvDO on VZW in the hotel. So along I go, paying $15/GB for data...but at least it's fast and reliable.

djdanska
Rudie32
Premium Member
join:2001-04-21
San Diego, CA

djdanska

Premium Member

Re: I'll use my MiFi

said by iansltx:

Meh, whatever.

Posted from my computer, tethered to my VZW iPad, because five bars of LTE works better than the backup ISP that's backing the hotel WiFi here. I'd tether to my TMo-powered Nexus 4, but they have a single T1 powering an HSPA+ site. And my Sprint GSIII flickers between a weak Sprint signal and roaming on EvDO on VZW in the hotel. So along I go, paying $15/GB for data...but at least it's fast and reliable.

I actually do keep a verizon mifi on hand if needed, using prepaid. So, i get what your saying.
TBBroadband
join:2012-10-26
Fremont, OH

TBBroadband to iansltx

Member

to iansltx
I didn't say anything about you giving free marketing to Verizon. You should re-read that.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: I'll use my MiFi

Irony. I posted with it.

CPM
Broadband, DSL, cable
join:2001-08-24
Denver, CO

CPM

Member

StarFuks

Oh, great .. More crap for Starfuks

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

RadioDoc

Re: StarFuks

said by CPM:

Oh, great .. More crap for Starfuks

Google and Starbucks...




...a match made in marketing heaven.
dra6o0n
join:2011-08-15
Mississauga, ON

dra6o0n

Member

Re: StarFuks

Because consumers are 'suppose' to consume.
What are they suppose to do? Fade away out of existence?

If people didn't like to do so, why would they be a consumer?

In this world you are either a consumer, a provider, or outsider, in those three key terms as they do reside within a nation or territory by definition.

For example, if you used China's point of view:
Government and Market provides.
The people consumes.
The other nations are outsiders.

The same key elements wherever you go.

OSUGoose
join:2007-12-27
Columbus, OH

OSUGoose

Member

Um

How, last I checked Google wasn't AT&T or VZ, they are still going to need the local ISP to provide a circuit.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt

Premium Member

Re: Um

They buy access, and (apparently) pay enough to starbucks to undercut the current provider (At&T) the same way AT&T served non AT&T markets before. The local connection owner still makes money on the wholesale access (which the probably didn't on the retail "official provider" end.
and Google gets good PR (seems to be much of their public effort now)
elefante72
join:2010-12-03
East Amherst, NY

1 recommendation

elefante72

Member

Re: Um

If you ever walked into a Starbucks, you might as well have walked into an Apple coffee store. I can assume:

1. They are going for Apple lovers (upper middle class) and maybe when you login you get some google spiel on their latest hardware (I type this on my Nexus 7)
2. They need to neuter the cableco super wifi network they are collaborating on, or at least slow them down
3. Raise google brand awareness
4. Test new technology in different areas of the country.
5. Learn how to partner w/ local transit partners so they can figure out a better and cheaper way to do it.

In Manhattan you can theoretically browse a web page, but that is not stellar speed. Same for Boston. I simply use my LTE connection which is boatloads faster.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt

Premium Member

Re: Um

Yup it's about google market share/entry
and it's free, so paid efforts will be better

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy to elefante72

Premium Member

to elefante72
As for Starbucks, I'm not too fond of their coffee (always tastes burnt like it had been sitting in the carafe all day). I like Apple computers and I like Dunkin' Donuts coffee.
majortom1029
join:2006-10-19
Medford, NY

majortom1029 to OSUGoose

Member

to OSUGoose
said by OSUGoose:

How, last I checked Google wasn't AT&T or VZ, they are still going to need the local ISP to provide a circuit.

They will probably use local cable companies. I know in the cablevision area they can get a 50/25 line for $55 . that would be about 12 faster then what my starbucks is using right now (att dsl)

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

Re: Um

said by majortom1029:

said by OSUGoose:

How, last I checked Google wasn't AT&T or VZ, they are still going to need the local ISP to provide a circuit.

They will probably use local cable companies. I know in the cablevision area they can get a 50/25 line for $55 . that would be about 12 faster then what my starbucks is using right now (att dsl)

Or they'll pay the cablecos to drop in a Metro Ethernet connection to the Starbucks locations.

Like I said above, VZ has fiber in business districts even in areas that don't have FiOS.
IowaCowboy

IowaCowboy to OSUGoose

Premium Member

to OSUGoose
Google can negotiate with local telcos/cablecos to provide wholesale access.

Residential customers are at the mercy of the telco/cableco offerings.

OSUGoose
join:2007-12-27
Columbus, OH

OSUGoose

Member

Re: Um

You completely missed the point.

AT&T had the network, Google don't. All Google is doing is MVNO someone elses stuff.
themagicone
join:2003-08-13
Osseo, MN

themagicone

Member

Goodbye AWS!

I have spend many hours fixing AWS at Starbucks. The equipment is outdated, slow and basically a POS. I'll probably end up getting a piece of the deployment, that'll be fun with the mess most of these stores are in the back.
MaynardKrebs
We did it. We heaved Steve. Yipee.
Premium Member
join:2009-06-17

MaynardKrebs

Premium Member

All your surfing


.... are belongs to us. Or more properly, the NSA. But then again it was that way with AT&T as well.

SSDD.
AVonGauss
Premium Member
join:2007-11-01
Boynton Beach, FL

AVonGauss

Premium Member

Re: All your surfing

said by MaynardKrebs:

.... are belongs to us. Or more properly, the NSA. But then again it was that way with AT&T as well.

SSDD.

Not that I'm trying to justify the recently exposed NSA activities; however, on a public Wi-Fi there should never be an assumption of privacy and if important, all traffic from/to your device should be secured.
dra6o0n
join:2011-08-15
Mississauga, ON

dra6o0n

Member

Re: All your surfing

said by AVonGauss:

said by MaynardKrebs:

.... are belongs to us. Or more properly, the NSA. But then again it was that way with AT&T as well.

SSDD.

Not that I'm trying to justify the recently exposed NSA activities; however, on a public Wi-Fi there should never be an assumption of privacy and if important, all traffic from/to your device should be secured.

That part is definitely true, never expect to protect your privacy when the internet connection isn't even owned by you.
Or expect 'someone' to magically protect you from issues stemming from public use of the internet.
It's like walking out on the street stark naked and expecting to have someone cover you in the case that you do get in trouble (What you do at home, is private, but once you step out that door)...

Barney
@comcastbusiness.net

Barney

Anon

Googles and Starbacks

Google is cool

Namuna
@170.74.56.x

Namuna

Anon

Insidiously awesome

The more I keep reading about Time Warner chomping at the bit to get metered broadband instituted, the more I appreciate moves like this by Google.

Sure, I have no doubt Google is doing this to strengthen their own position, but instead of us consumers being monetarily bled to death by the likes of parasites like Time Warner...At least it's more of a symbiotic relationship with Google where we get something out of it too.