If You're Reading This In Starbucks You Overpaid

Oct. 27 2008, Published 7:07 a.m. ET

Good news, latte-loving laptoppers: "Starbucks Corp. and AT&T Inc. will start offering a mix of free and paid wireless Internet service in most of the international coffee retailer's U.S. shops, beginning this spring. Starbucks said it will give customers who use a Starbucks card two hours of free wireless access per day. More time than that will cost $3.99 for a two-hour session. Monthly memberships will cost $19.99 and include access to any of AT&T's 70,000 hot spots worldwide.... 'We're very excited about what we're doing together to align ourselves with what consumers want," said Rick Welday, a chief marketing officer for AT&T's consumer business.'" Well, sure, Rick, except what consumers want is free. You know, like they have at almost every other civilized coffee shop. Still, between this and the fact that they're going to yank out those disgusting breakfast sandwiches, we are now more likely to stop into Starbucks when we need to check our e-mail and all the Wi-Fi providing bars and public spaces are closed. AP