Starbucks will turn on free Wi-Fi with one click on July
1
at U.S. and Canadian company-operated stores.
Customers with
Wi-Fi-enabled laptops, tablets and mobile phones will have
unlimited
Internet access to surf the Web, connect with social networks,
search
for jobs or work at their neighborhood Starbucks. Most recently,
the
free Wi-Fi benefit was limited to two hours a day and only
available to
members of the My Starbucks Rewards program. The new,
unlimited Wi-Fi
offering features a one-click entry point, so a username or
password
will not be required.
Added on to the Wi-Fi
update, are plans for a new online customer experience
called the Starbucks Digital Network, in partnership with Yahoo!, which
will debut later this fall. This online experience allows customers
free unrestricted access to various paid
sites and services such as wsj.com, exclusive content and previews, free
downloads, local community news and activities, on their laptops,
tablets or smart phones.
"Bringing one click, free Wi-Fi to Starbucks opens up new
opportunities
for our customers and gives us the backdrop to continue to bring
innovation to their in-store experience. We're finding new ways to
bridge the third place coffeehouse environment with the digital
space,
and look forward to sharing that with our customers," said Stephen
Gillett, Starbucks executive vice president, chief information
officer
and general manager of Digital Ventures.