elray join:2000-12-16 Santa Monica, CA |
elray
Member
2013-Jul-31 6:34 pm
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. | |
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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. | |
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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. | |
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| IowaCowboyLost in the Supermarket Premium Member join:2010-10-16 Springfield, MA |
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. | |
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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. | |
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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. | |
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| | OwlSaverOwlSaver Premium Member join:2005-01-30 Berwyn, PA |
to IowaCowboy
I would actually expect them to use Metro Ethernet on a bulk national purchase agreement. | |
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| djdanskaRudie32 Premium Member join:2001-04-21 San Diego, CA |
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. | |
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| aztecnologyO Rly? Premium Member join:2003-02-12 Murrieta, CA |
to elray
Google is partnering with Level 3, and Level 3 will manage network connectivity, equipment, etc... | |
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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. | |
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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. | |
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| aaronwt Premium Member join:2004-11-07 Woodbridge, VA Asus RT-AX89
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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. | |
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IowaCowboyLost in the Supermarket Premium Member join:2010-10-16 Springfield, MA |
I'll use my MiFiI'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) | |
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Re: I'll use my MiFiWhy 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. | |
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| | djdanskaRudie32 Premium Member join:2001-04-21 San Diego, CA |
djdanska
Premium Member
2013-Jul-31 7:17 pm
Re: I'll use my MiFisaid 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. | |
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to iansltx
If he used the Wifi at Panara or any where else, he couldn't give VZ any free marketing. | |
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iansltx
Member
2013-Jul-31 10:39 pm
Re: I'll use my MiFiMeh, 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. | |
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| | | | djdanskaRudie32 Premium Member join:2001-04-21 San Diego, CA |
djdanska
Premium Member
2013-Aug-1 1:19 am
Re: I'll use my MiFisaid 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. | |
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to iansltx
I didn't say anything about you giving free marketing to Verizon. You should re-read that. | |
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Re: I'll use my MiFiIrony. I posted with it. | |
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CPMBroadband, DSL, cable join:2001-08-24 Denver, CO |
CPM
Member
2013-Jul-31 6:50 pm
StarFuksOh, great .. More crap for Starfuks | |
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Re: StarFukssaid by CPM:Oh, great .. More crap for Starfuks Google and Starbucks...
...a match made in marketing heaven.
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| | dra6o0n join:2011-08-15 Mississauga, ON |
Re: StarFuksBecause 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. | |
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UmHow, last I checked Google wasn't AT&T or VZ, they are still going to need the local ISP to provide a circuit. | |
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| tshirt Premium Member join:2004-07-11 Snohomish, WA |
tshirt
Premium Member
2013-Jul-31 7:47 pm
Re: UmThey 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) | |
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Re: UmIf 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. | |
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| | | tshirt Premium Member join:2004-07-11 Snohomish, WA |
tshirt
Premium Member
2013-Jul-31 8:39 pm
Re: UmYup it's about google market share/entry and it's free, so paid efforts will be better | |
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| | | IowaCowboyLost in the Supermarket Premium Member join:2010-10-16 Springfield, MA |
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. | |
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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) | |
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| | IowaCowboyLost in the Supermarket Premium Member join:2010-10-16 Springfield, MA |
Re: Umsaid 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. | |
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| IowaCowboy |
to OSUGoose
Google can negotiate with local telcos/cablecos to provide wholesale access.
Residential customers are at the mercy of the telco/cableco offerings. | |
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Re: UmYou completely missed the point.
AT&T had the network, Google don't. All Google is doing is MVNO someone elses stuff. | |
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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. | |
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MaynardKrebsWe did it. We heaved Steve. Yipee. Premium Member join:2009-06-17 |
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.
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| AVonGauss Premium Member join:2007-11-01 Boynton Beach, FL |
AVonGauss
Premium Member
2013-Jul-31 11:23 pm
Re: All your surfingsaid 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. | |
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| | dra6o0n join:2011-08-15 Mississauga, ON |
Re: All your surfingsaid 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)... | |
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Barney
Anon
2013-Aug-1 2:32 pm
Googles and StarbacksGoogle is cool | |
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Namuna
Anon
2013-Aug-2 5:28 pm
Insidiously awesomeThe 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. | |
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