Starbucks, Google to offer lightning-speed free Internet
Coffee shops are now used as more than an immediate source of caffeine. Checking your emails or taking your laptop to work with an Americano by your elbow are possible thanks to the introduction of free Internet -- but this connection can be spotty and frustrating.
Improving these connections would entice more consumers to walk through the doors with the promise of stable Wi-Fi, but it can also provide a valuable customer base for advertising purposes and brand promotion. In a blog post Wednesday, Kevin Lo, the General Manager of Google Access, said that the tech giant is teaming up with coffee retailer Starbucks to bring faster, more stable Wi-Fi connections to over 7,000 outlets in the next 18 months.
When these outlets across the United States "go Google," the search engine giant promises that speeds in Starbucks will be up to 10 times faster than before. If you're in one of the current Google Fiber cities, you'll be treated to a free connection up to 100 times faster. Lo says:
"The free Internet connection at Starbucks has become an important part of many communities over the years, such as in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, or for students without Internet at home who do their homework at Starbucks."
The new networks will be rolled out from August.
Via: Google
Image credit: Flickr
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- Pay with a kiss in Sydney's coffee shops
- Brits turn to the pub as their second office
- Brit's take: Forget Starbucks, give us free Wi-Fi in pubs
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com