BT Wi-Fi Coming to Starbucks Comments

"why did Starbucks defect from T-Mobile to BT?"

I'm guessing we can thank to an extent the success of the iPhone. Apart from that, maybe a bigger slice of profit?

why would the iPhone have any effect on Starbucks decision? baffling

makes perfect sense to me...after all, the kind of people who are happy to spend £5 on a 50p cup of coffee are just the kind of people likely to to have Apple products. Touché!

it will probably be that BT may be used more widely because of the likes of O2s wifi which includes the iPhone, and is simply a case of offer the wifi that consumers use and therefore make more money in coffee sales, as in times of economic depression the coffee sector, like all others, has to differentiate from the crowd in order to maintain profitability.

@lifethroughalens
you beat me to the punch!

@jay
agree to an extent but when you're charging so much for coffee the wifi really should be free. mcd's got it right. be interesting to know if their sales went up after introducing free access.

No competition! In my local high street there's a family run coffee shop directly opposite to a big ugly Starbucks (which seems to double as a creche in the mornings and an Apple showcase in the afternoons, not sure which is worse).

I'll always look to support local businesses first and get a good cuppa at a vastly cheaper price than SB's muck. Wifi or no WiFi SB's and MacVomits are off my radar.

Blast ! I stopped my Openzone contract just after they parted company with Cloud, which provided coverage in London streets, outside railway stations etc.

BT Openzone can be accessed if you park by some phoneboxes, they will provide a list online.
You can take your preferred coffee to your car and work/browse, but you then the run the risk of a parking ticket via other modern technology, we just aren't meant to win sometimes.