SAN FRANCISCO-Starbucks Coffee Co., Hewlett-Packard Co. and T-Mobile International have combined to launch a hot spot service in Starbucks coffee houses, allowing customers to connect to Internet applications using 802.11b technology.
“As easy as ordering their latte, Starbucks customers can check e-mail, surf the Web, watch streaming video or download multimedia presentations in the comfort of Starbucks via a fast, reliable standards-based wireless Internet connection for notebook computers and Pocket PCs,” said Sarbucks in a statement.
The T-Mobile Hotspot service will trial for free in about 1,200 Starbucks stores in the United States, with an additional 800 scheduled to feature the service by the end of this year, according to a press statement. International plans call for a six-month pilot program in select London and Berlin locations.
T-Mobile said it offers a variety of Internet access service plans, including national and local unlimited monthly plans starting at $30, as well as prepaid and pay-as-you-go plans.
HP will offer its free Wireless Connection Manager software to the venture that allows users to configure their wirelessly enabled notebooks or Pocket PC-equipped personal digital assistants to automatically sense and connect to available wireless networks.
