Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Google Replaces AT&T At Starbucks

Posted by samzenpus on from the new-and-improved dept.

coolnumbr12 writes "A new partnership between Starbucks and Google hopes to improve the lives of freelance writers around the country. Starting in August, Google plans to make Internet speeds at all 7,000 Starbucks locations in the U.S. 10 times faster than the current AT&T-powered service. For people in a city equipped with Google Fiber, Google says the speed in Starbucks could increase as much as 100 times."

5 of 100 comments (clear)

  1. That'll be great until... by agapeton · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...Google decides to cancel the service all the sudden.

  2. Uh oh.. by fred911 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Please sign in with your Google+ account and accept our TOS!

    --
    09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B - D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    1. Re:Uh oh.. by mjwx · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Please sign in with your Google+ account and accept our TOS!

      Which to be fair, is probably several times less abusive than the AT&T TOS that Starbucks accepted on your behalf.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  3. Re:This was definitely needed! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Of course it's slow. High speed internet is expensive. Starbucks are locally owned and can't just splurge on faster internet for the freeloaders. The question is how is Google actually going to get higher speeds. They can't just wave a magic wand and suddenly the wires improve. They're going to be eating a lot of cash to upgrade stuff.

    But sheesh, it's coffee. Buy your drink then LEAVE.

  4. Re:This was definitely needed! by Zenin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Starbucks are locally owned and [...]

    No, they aren't. With few exceptions they are all 100% company owned (at least in the 'States).

    Starbucks is not a franchise, which is why they've been able to push out so many local coffee shops. With the weight of the entire corporation able to be brought to bear at any single location, they've been able to run locations at a loss for years right next to mom & pop shops. The "genius" here is that they don't need to do better then the mom & pop to win...they simply need to reduce the income of the mom & pop shop enough to make them unprofitable...and then wait them out until they leave. Then with the location clear of competition they get all the business.

    NOT being locally owned is the key to Starbuck's domination.

    --
    My /. uid is better then your /. uid