Bell and Starbucks have created a partnership to Wi-Fi 400 Starbucks establishments across Canada. Announced today, the rollout will begin next week in locations around Ontario with British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan getting wired up over the next year. So what will you have to do to be able to connect over coffee?.
It appears from the press announcement that Bell will be using its Hotspot service to allow its customers to connect. If you’re a Bell Mobility 1x customer you’ll be able to log in. Billing will show up on your monthly Bell Mobility statements.
Starbucks is rolling out Wi-Fi, but only to Bell customers? Why not partner with a company like FatPort who makes it easy for any sized business to implement a Wi-Fi network?
I recently was in West Vancouver and needed a Wi-Fi connection. I tracked down one of FatPort’s many partners, a coffee shop, and connected effortlessly in 3 minutes. You pay with credit card, it’s easy, and you don’t need to even have a cell phone provider to do so. You need a Wi-Fi enabled computer.
There must be more to the Bell/Starbucks relationship than meets the eye. That is, Bell provides Wi-Fi service and collects the money. Starbucks provides the coffee and appeal to draw Bell customers to their wireless enabled stores. I have to wonder is Starbucks pocketing a percentage of wireless usage fees in addition to selling more double skinny lite frappa cappuccinos? Why else would they forget about the 32 million other Canadians who might want to check email while having a coffee?
Comments (8)
I don’t see any problem with that. If you want Internet with your over-priced coffee you should have to pay Bell’s overpriced internet fees.
get your head outta your arse jake. starbucks has reasonably priced coffee and bell’s prices are pretty much the same as the other phone co.
stupid decision by starbucks. i’ve used fatport in TO and it’s good. i guess i’ll stick to the independents.
I believe it is about time the internet / mobile providers are deploying this solutions. Canada is lagging behind other countries in not only hotspot accessibility, but also in the single bill service.
Of course we will have to pay “extra” to Bell to have hotspot access, but isnt that what we are doing right now by paying FatPort? I would love to pay one single internet bill, and I guarantee you, it will not be $30 bucks a month (what FatPort charges)
Also, Bell move is actually smart if they are preparing the rollout of next generation cell phones, commonly called UMA (unlicensed mobile access) phones, that handoff between regular cell towers and WiFi (VoWiFi). Suddenly, they own your calls within all the starbucks…and that, is where they might want to capitalize. in.
The service is powered by Bell, not for bell subscribers. All users can access the wi-fi service. You can pay by using pre-loaded cards that you can buy at Bell stores, or by credict card. In Western Canada the service will cost: $7.50/60 Minutes, $10.00/Day, or $35.50/Month. The 60 minutes can be used in intervals over an unknown period of time, but the daily and monthly service experies at the end of their service. The monthly service is the best value, as there are so many starbucks locations nation wide.
Good Day, Soon you will be able to only pay 21.95 per month and have unlimted access at Starbucks, Second Cup and also Fatport and Boingo locations. ToGo Wireless has over 12,000 roaming locations worldwide and will be increasing the roaming locations in 2006 to 50,000 locations. one user name and one password. Email us for more information info@togowireless.com
In Quebec, it was free with Vidéotron…
Apple is wrongly advertising free wi-fi access at Starbucks locations. Grr, why do companies get away with deceiving their customers like that?
Hello all,
I am new to trying to access an internet connection @ Starbucks(Canada).
I have registered with Starbucks website & connected to Bell Hotspot when I am in Starbucks yet I am still unable to access the internet.
Can anyone help me with what they’ve experiences in getting setup/started.
Thanks!
AJH
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