starbucks

Starbucks settles T-Mobile WiFi lawsuit

Lynnette Luna — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:59:53 -0400

Days after T-Mobile filed a lawsuit against Starbucks accusing it of breach of contract because it's allowing AT&T to provide customers with free WiFi access in its cafes, Starbucks announced it has reached an agreement with AT&T and T-Mobile. The AT&T promotion provides two hours of free WiFi to Starbucks customers who purchase a Starbucks Reward Card with a minimum of $5 credit on it. Customers must use their Starbucks Card at least once a month.

T-Mobile, which was the seven-year exclusive paid WiFi provider for Starbucks before the coffee chain transitioned to AT&T, filed a complaint earlier this week charging Starbucks with secretly devising the promotion with AT&T to provide free WiFi in its stores even though T-Mobile still has the right to exclusively sell and promote its WiFi service in Starbucks until the transition to AT&T is complete. Currently only two Starbucks stores have made the transition, the lawsuit said.

It's unclear what type of agreement Starbucks entered into with AT&T and T-Mobile but it appears the lawsuit won't go to trial. According to a T-Mobile spokesperson, "T-Mobile, AT&T, and Starbucks have entered into a memorandum of understanding to resolve their disputes and are committed to providing a high quality WiFi experience for customers.

For more:
- read ars technica

Related stories:
T-Mobile sues Starbucks over free WiFi
T-Mobile USA: WiFi subs can still use Starbucks
Starbucks snubs T-Mobile, signs WiFi deal with AT&T

T-Mobile sues Starbucks over free WiFi

Sue Marek — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:27:25 -0400

T-Mobile USA isn't a fan of the new free WiFi promotion from AT&T and Starbucks. The carrier, which has offered paid WiFi access to Starbucks customers for the past seven years, filed a lawsuit against Starbucks accusing it of breach of contract because it's allowing AT&T to provide customers with free WiFi access in its cafes. The AT&T promotion provides two hours of free WiFi to Starbucks customers who purchase a Starbucks Reward Card with a minimum of $5 credit on it. Customers must use their Starbucks Card at least once a month.

Starbucks announced in February it was ending its exclusive relationship with T-Mobile in favor of a new deal with AT&T and the transition is under way. In the complaint filed in New York State Supreme Court, T-Mobile says the coffee maker secretly devised the promotion with AT&T to provide free WiFi in its stores even though T-Mobile still has the right to exclusively sell and promote its WiFi service in Starbucks until the transition to AT&T is complete. Currently only two Starbucks stores have made the transition, the lawsuit says.

For more:
- See this CNET story.

Related stories:
Starbucks' free WiFi promo hits a snag
T-Mobile USA: WiFi subs can still use Starbucks Starbucks WiFi/AT&T story
Starbucks snubs T-Mobile, signs WiFi deal with AT&T Starbucks WiFi story

ALSO NOTED: Is Comcast planning a wireless network?; Skype launches mobile app for 50 handsets; and much more...

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:59:51 -0400

> Is Comcast planning a wireless network

> Nextlink launched online spectrum exchange services Article

> AT&T and Starbucks USA have begun of the rollout of AT&T's WiFi service at company-operated Starbucks stores Article

> Skyle launches mobile app for 50 handsets

> Cable companies exit Pivot JV with Sprint

And Finally... Dare we say it. Could Apple's 3G iPhone be introduced on June 9? Article

Starbucks snubs T-Mobile, signs WiFi deal with AT&T

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:59:55 -0500

Starbucks made a deal for WiFi services with AT&T, effectively ending its six-year relationship with T-Mobile USA for WiFi hotspots. The new deal will bring Starbucks patrons a mix of both paid and free WiFi service at Starbucks' more than 7,000 U.S. locations.

Starbucks said users of its Starbucks membership card will receive two hours of free wireless access each day, while subsequent two hour blocks will cost $3.99. The company also plans to offer monthly memberships at $19.99 that include access to any AT&T hotspot nationwide. Current AT&T hotspot subscribers will also have access to the service at Starbucks.

At least for T-Mobile, its customers can continue using WiFi services at no additional costs through an agreement between T-Mobile and AT&T.

Interestingly, Apple, which has an exclusive deal with AT&T for the iPhone, also has an exclusive partnership with Starbucks, enabling customers to download music onto their iPod Touch, iPhone or PC or Mac running iTunes at participating Starbucks locations. At this point, however, only AT&T DSL customers have free access to its WiFi hotspots throughout the country. iPhone users are left out of the fray, despite the fact that the device supports both EDGE and WiFi.

For more on the AT&T/Starbucks deal:
- read this press release

Related articles:
T-Mobile USA introduces nationwide UMA service Report
FON takes on Starbucks with Fonbucks campaign Report

WiMAX Forum denies FDD profile is imminent

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 06:59:58 -0500

The WiMAX Forum was swift to debunk the notion that it is set to reveal an FDD profile for mobile WiMAX within six months. We reported on a recent article in telecoms.com, in which Paul Senior, chief technology officer of WiMAX vendor Airspan, said the WiMAX Forum was set to introduce an FDD profile and has been hush-hush about the move because it wanted to get IMT-2000 approval first and avoid the firestorm that an FDD profile would have created.

The WiMAX Forum is adamant no decisions have been made on an FDD profile, and therefore it has no official timeline pertaining to releasing one.

"There is discussion but it hasn't gotten to the point where we would be able to create a timeline," Tim Hewitt, regulatory working group chair with the WiMAX Forum, told FierceBroadbandWireless. "It all comes down to what our members want to do."

Why is this discussion significant? FDD mode, or frequency division duplex, sends and receives information using separate channels for the uplink and downlink. Today, mobile WiMAX uses TDD, or time division duplex, signaling, which assigns time slots for both the uplink and downlink signals. The IMT-2000 Extension Band is harmonizing 2 x 70 MHz for FDD spectrum internationally, leaving 50 MHz for TDD technologies like WiMAX. Moreover, much of the 700 MHz band's spectrum, including the coveted C-block, is configured for FDD signaling.

In light of this, I'd argue that the WiMAX community needs a solid story when it comes FDD, especially since the technology's backers have high hopes for mobile WiMAX in the 700 MHz band.

The WiMAX world was smart to focus on TDD for mobility to make use of that under-utilized spectrum around the world. As Hewitt says, TDD spectrum is easier to find than FDD spectrum, which requires paired spectrum. Now, with the blessing of the International Telecommunication Union, the WiMAX community is creating an ecosystem in the TDD band that will enable it to more effectively compete with technologies such as HSDPA and LTE in FDD bands.

Of course, there are some political issues I can dream up as to why the WiMAX Forum needs to be careful about pitting itself aggressively against HSDPA, EV-DO and LTE in the paired bands. One is that the forum's major members are vendors and operators that also have established revenue-generating businesses in these paired-band technologies. Moreover, continuing to emphasize the TDD band creates an opportunity for WiMAX to be the most viable option for unpaired spectrum with little competition.

Read more about the WiMAX Forum's views on this issue here.--Lynnette

T-Mobile UK bundles unlimited WiFi with 3G plans

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 06:59:53 -0500

Could T-Mobile UK's move be replicated in the U.S. once T-Mobile USA rolls out its 3G network? T-Mobile UK announced that it is bundling unlimited WiFi access with its Web'n'Walk Plus and Max 3G service plans. For an extra $18 per month, UK users can access the Internet using their laptops over 3G HSDPA and WiFi. T-Mobile UK has about 1,000 WiFi hotspots in the UK in locations such as Starbucks coffee shops, airports, train stations and service stations.

For more about T-Mobile UK's move to bundle 3G and WiFi access:
- read this article from telecoms.com

Related articles:
T-Mobile offers WiFi Blackberry Article
T-Mobile jumps into FMC pool Article

BT invests in FON

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 06:59:54 -0400

BT has invested in Spanish wireless startup FON, which aims to blanket the world in free WiFi hotspots. Now, BT's more than 3 million Total Broadband customers will be able to join the FON WiFi network, which currently provides more than 190,000 hotspots worldwide. If they join, BT's customers will be opening up a slice of their home WiFi bandwidth into a public network, which others can use. BT declined to announce how big a stake it acquired in FON or how much it invested. Google and Skype invested in FON last February.

For more on BT's stake in FON:
- read this release
- read this article from the WSJ (sub. req.)

Extra: Find out more in our FON Fierce 15 Profile

Related articles:
Read how FON is taking on Starbucks with Fonbucks campaign
See how FON's directional antenna expands WiFi signal range
Will Time Warner turn more Americans into Foneros?

WiFi-enabled devices could bring change to hotspot owners

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 06:59:58 -0400

WiFi-enabled devices could bring change to hotspot owners
Must public hotspot providers prepare for an onslaught of mobile WiFi-enabled devices? According to Motorola (See story No. 2), Apple's iPhone is forcing mobile operators to seriously consider selling devices with WiFi capability included. And last week, Apple announced the WiFi-enabled iPod Touch, which offers the same music selection and pricing as its desktop counterpart. Apple has teamed with Starbucks, where users will receive free access to the iTunes Store over the in-store WiFi.

This momentum could bring WiFi mainstream, which means hotspot providers may find themselves grappling with the prospect of heavy use and difficulty monetizing it. But just think of the new business models that can be created through enhanced hotspot partnerships with mobile operators around services and content. We very well could see a metamorphosis of the WiFi market. Of course, I'm getting ahead of myself.--Lynnette

P.S. Bert Williams, vice president of marketing with Proxim, offers a counterpoint to my recent editor's corner, Let's get muni-WiFi and WiMAX players together. Read his response here.

T-Mobile USA introduces nationwide UMA service

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 06:59:56 -0400

T-Mobile USA announced its long-awaited T-Mobile HotSpot AtHome service, which it has been testing in Seattle for the past few months. The service allows T-Mobile USA subscribers with UMA-enabled cellular phones and a router to seamlessly hand-off mobile calls from the cellular network to the WiFi network when at home. The 8,500 T-Mobile HotSpots at Starbucks across the country will also allow users to automatically switch to WiFi when in range.

The service works with the Nokia 6086 and the Samsung t409, which each costing about $50 with a two-year contract and a $40 calling plan. The unlimited calling via WiFi is an additional $10 a month. Walter Piecyk at Pali Research tested the service in New York and found the handoff between T-Mobile's GSM network and WiFi to work flawlessly.

"We believe the proliferation of phones like this could lead to significant impact on the average revenue per unit (ARPU) of wireless operators," noted Piecyk in a research note. "Off-loading minutes onto WiFi would be particularly appealing to heavy users that could lower the cellular portion of their bill."

For more on T-Mobile's new fixed-mobile convergence offering:
- read this press release

ALSO NOTED: HP and Cisco partner for indoor wireless; Cell phones sniff out hotspots; and much more...

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 20:00:50 -0400

> HP and Cisco Systems are joining hands hands to become even bigger players in the enterprise unified communications marketplace by offering a range of new applications and services based on Cisco's Pervasive Indoor Wireless Technology. Report

> Cell phones now come with GPS and WiFi sniffers. Report

> The city of Norwich may not have a very good soccer team, but they do have an ambitious metro-WiFi project. Report

And finally... A music lover who cannot wait to download a favorite tune? Then consider the MusicGremlin: Unlike other MP3 players, the MusicGremlin downloads your music over the air via any standard WiFi connection. Since the number of available WiFi-enabled areas in public venues is very large--and this does not even include commercial hot spots you find in places such as Starbucks--the Gremlin has a clear advantage. Report

Starbucks launches Summer Scavenger Hunt

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 20:01:35 -0400

Have nothing to do this summer? Starbucks has the solution: The company yesterday launched its Starbucks Summer Pursuit, also called Scavenger Hunt--a game players play using their cellular phones or PDAs. The game relies on intelligent image recognition which reads, or understands, the player's responses to clues. Players will have to decipher a series of clues and answer trivia questions sent to their phones and PDA--and their responses will have to be given either in images or in text messages. The game engine's intelligent image reader will determine whether the image a player submitted as an answer to a clue constitutes the correct answer.

The game will last for five weeks and will end in a real-time final in New York in an event for which the company will select five contestants from those registering for the game and answering at least one clue correctly. The winner and his/her companion will earn a trip to Costa Rica, where Starbucks buys much of its coffee.

For registration to Summer Pursuit:
- here are the registration forms at Starbucks' Web site