Free WiFi Coming To Starbucks

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It's about time. Starbucks and AT&T have announced that they will start offering free WiFi in cafes starting July 1st.

It was already free if you were already an AT&T customer or had a registered Starbucks card. For everyone else, it was $3.99 for two hours of Internet access. (Ridiculous!)

In making the announcement, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz alluded to a broader digital offering; some sort of "digital network". (Yes, do go on...) 

Apparently, this Starbucks digital network will be in partnership with Yahoo! and feature unique and proprietary content just for Starbuck customers. (Unique content on the web? Now, I'm getting skeptical.)

Word is, it will be things like customized content from sources like the Wall Street Journal, Zagat and Yahoo! News (It's official, you just lost me. As if the Wall Street Journal is going to hold back its best scoops for the Starbucks network!)

Anyhoo, we can all enjoy the free WiFi regardless.

Renee Oricchio is a technology writer and former supervising news producer for CNN Financial News. She has been covering the computer industry since 1987. @oricchio