Starbucks and AT&T- so long T-Mobile hotspots
The new Starbucks near me still has no hotspot, it’s a new store so they are waiting for AT&T to install the equipment due to the coffee chain’s desertion from the T-Mobile camp. Other Starbucks stores in my area are all still running T-Mobile hotspots but managers have been told that soon the switchover to AT&T will take place. I have been dutifully paying T-Mobile for unlimited hotspot service for years but now that I have to consciously think about which store I am going to visit so I know whether I’ll find T-Mobile or AT&T has gotten me to thinking which is always dangerous. I have the T-Mobile hotspot service but the only places I’ve ever used them is in Starbucks shops. Once they complete the switchover to AT&T I will no longer need the T-Mobile service and I’ll cancel it. Will anyone in the US need the T-Mobile service once the Starbucks switchover is complete?
I don’t want to get AT&T hotspot service necessarily either. I am seriously thinking of getting Boingo which has roaming agreements with hundreds of providers including AT&T. Rather than pay AT&T for access to only their hotspots I’d rather pay roughly the same monthly fee to get access to all the AT&T hotspots plus all the others that Boingo can access. If you have T-Mobile hotspot service now what are you going to do when Starbucks turns off that switch?
I eventually plan to get WWAN service so I am curious why you wouldn’t use your Verizon EVDO card at SBUX? What are the advantages to paying extra for hotspot access if you already pay for WWAN?
Kevin,
According to T-Mobile (http://www.t-mobile.com/company/PressReleases_Article.aspx?assetName=Prs_Prs_20070213&title=Statement%20regarding%20T-Mobile%20Hotspot%20and%20Starbucks) you will still be able to use your T-Mobile HotSpot account for at least the next 5 years due to roaming agreements they have in place with AT&T.
T-Mobile needed to maintain access for their customers at Starbucks since they have their @Home services just rolling out all over and losing Starbucks would have a major impact on them.
So, don’t worry, be happy and enjoy your WiFi for at least 5 more years. Shoot, in 5 years we may actually see WiMAX available too
This T-Mobile page also has a long list of FAQ for everyone to enjoy.
http://www.t-mobile.com/templates/genericnobrand.aspx?passet=Pro_Html_SBHotSpot
Oops, I see that James wrote the article and not Kevin. Sorry guys.
Actually, the changeover works out in my favor as I have always been too cheap to pay for the T-Mobile service but I will have access to the AT&T service for free since my home DSL is through them.
nomo, I do use the EVDO when WiFi is not available but there is no question that WiFi is much faster than 3G. I always go for WiFi if it’s available.
Matt, Kevin is the taller one.
Seriously, this whole Starbucks changeover makes me realize that I don’t need T-Mobile hotspot service anymore even if it works in Starbucks. Boingo is cheaper and works in countless more places than T-Mobile, including the Starbucks via AT&T. It makes no sense to keep T-Mobile after the transition.
Yep, I’ve also heard TMo and AT&T service will be offered concurrently (for contractual reasons). In fact, the Starbucks WiFi page should already have an AT&T login for data customers.
I’ll probably put the free AT&T WiFi to use, but wonder if it’ll make my already crowded Starbucks more crowded. Just say no to free WiFi!
If you are a card holder then you get 2 hours of free wifi a day. I bet if you are a regular customer and you spend a little money they would extend the 2 hours. Just guessing.
Most of my heavy travel is international, and I have never found the T-Mobile Hotspot service to be free abroad (even in Frankfurt Airport). I use Boingo, and it’s not bad, though you really have to confirm if the location is a premium one for $.18 a minute. Otherwise, I have been very surprised at the number of locations that also offer Boingo (mostly not premium in the US), and it’s saved me a lot of money over paying the expensive hotel internet rates.
A few things about Boingo… the downloadable app is useful for finding hotspots, but not so useful as a connection manager. That was from a Boingo support person, where you have to call to get your password changed!
One thing that gets lost is that WWAN is much more secure than Wifi. Speed concerns aside, when outside your home, WWAN is the better choice if the data you are passing around is important to you.