Starbucks Steps Up Its Wireless Game

While Starbucks is known for its delicious iced coffee and coffeehouse environment, exceptionally fast Wi-Fi does not usually come to mind when thinking of the massive chain. However, Starbucks' new partnership with Google might  change that.

Wi-Fi service will now be up to 10 times faster in Starbucks locations nationwide. Google, together with Level 3 Communications, will begin providing the new Wi-Fi to newly built stores, then to locations where the Wi-Fi usage is greatest. Starbucks hypothesizes that the process will be complete within 18 months. Before the transition, all the stores will have been employing AT&T's T1 line for 1.5 megabit speeds.

Starbucks acknowledges that all locations will not see an exact and equal increase in the speed of their Wi-Fi. Some locales will see the rise in speed, while others might experience slower wireless internet.

The partnership with Google will hopefully attract more customers to Starbucks already massive fan base. Free, fast Wi-Fi is becoming more and more necessary as we are downloading and streaming larger files as a whole.