Engadget: Free Wi-Fi At Starbucks
Engadget speculates that Starbucks’ new free-Wi-Fi policy may lead to congestion in the restaurants. Franchise-operated outlets will not necessarily make the same offer.
“Mmm… nothing like the smell of a warm caramel macchiato in the morning being masked by the smell of fresh greenbacks being burned, right? All jesting aside, we’re pretty stoked about the world’s most recognized coffee joint turning off the paywall surrounding its in-house WiFi hotspots, and in case you missed the original announcement, we’re here to remind you that the free-for-all begins today.
As of this very moment, the next US / Canadian corporately-ran Starbucks that you enter should be offering free one-click WiFi, meaning that no password is required and no time limits will be set. Of course, this also means that you’ll never see an open chair in any Starbucks ever again, but hey — that’s why sidewalks were created, right?”