Bad news for iPhone users that enjoy hanging out at the local Starbucks. It seems that the free WiFi for the iPhone courtesy of AT&T, has been disabled. No explanation was given, just working one minute, not working the next. Also, there was no mention when, or if, the WiFi offering would be back. Wow, that was some short lived high speed love from AT&T.
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While the above screen, minus the ‘no circle’, greeted iPhone subscribers in Starbucks locations just two days ago, it is gone now. When signing in now, users must enter a password. As of now, no one has came forward with the password. As such, we must assume only AT&T knows it. I wish I could say the service will be back soon, but unfortunately, only AT&T knows that as well.
The service could have been disabled so AT&T could figure out a better way to secure it. All it took to access it was an AT&T iPhone number, and an iPhone user agent string. A user agent is easy to fake, and I am sure most people have a buddy with an iPhone on AT&T. Realizing this, AT&T could have taken away access for now. All we can do it cross our fingers that this is all temporary.
[Via Gear Diary]
I think it would be safe to say thanks to all the tech blogs who publicized the hack for getting it turned off so quickly. If it were indeed a nice little Easter egg from AT&T, it certainly got spoiled quickly. I rather believe it was all a big accident to begin with. Why would AT&T give anything away for free? It’s not in their character.
My leading theory is that this will be back and you’ll log in with your Starbucks card # in addition to an iPhone #. This is what Starbucks/ATT have said previously would be happening.
Using just your phone number seemed a tad too easy for people to spoof. I’m sure the folks at AT&T realized that word would spread fast.
Could this have just been a bid for free publicity? If so, it worked.
This is no shocker, ATT is testing this to pare down EDGE traffic, to make their company more profitable, why would someone care if they get free WIFI if they have already paid for 24/7 access to EDGE ? I use WIFI on my iPhone because in MOST instances it is faster than the crappy EDGE network service. But the real story here is that ATT is trying to pretend to “give” something for free that you already have, ridiculous. ATT blows, why Apple teamed up with them is beyond me….geez.
Duh, testing rollout for new plans with WiFi in Starbucks with the release of the 3G iPhone.
Think about it; why would AT&T sit by while Starbucks partnered up with T-Mobile, a huge enemy of AT&T now considering the amount of hacked iPhone business they stole; takes all wireless business?
My Theory: AT&T tells Jobs that if they want them to come through with the 3G network for their new iPhone, that he’ll have to pull strings with Starbucks and get them into their Wireless Market.
I don’t know about exclusivity, but I know it’s gonna happen.
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As it is now, you buy an iPhone, sign up with AT&T for service, so why should you have to go, give T-Mobile your info just to use the WiFi in Starbucks?? They’re umbrella’ing everything for the average consumer.
There is always Panera Bread for the freebies