“Now more than ever, Starbucks is focused on the in-store experience for our customers,” Chris Bruzzo, chief technology officer, Starbucks, says in a press anouncement. “As we continue to build our technology offerings in ways that both enhance and expand the Starbucks Experience for our customers, we made a strategic decision to expand our existing relationship with our longtime technology partner AT&T to include consumer Wi-Fi.”

In recognition of the many T-Mobile customers who enjoy visiting Starbucks, the Company is also announcing that T-Mobile HotSpot customers will be able to continue to access Wi-Fi services at no additional cost, through an agreement between AT&T and T-Mobile.

Customer Wi-Fi services from AT&T will be rolled-out to Starbucks locations in the U.S. on a market by market basis beginning in the spring of 2008. Starbucks will work with AT&T to create a "range of compelling Wi-Fi pricing structures for Starbucks and AT&T customers," Bruzzo says.