Anyone who has tried to find some free wi-fi spots in Tokyo will know just how big a deal this is: Starbucks is set to offer free wi-fi in 94 of its stores in Japan starting November 1, with plans to expand after that. Tokyo web workers rejoice. Via Jason Jenkins.
Update: The service may not be as free as I had hoped, and may be limited to customers of NTT’s Flet’s.
Update 2: Some good news — it’s been confirmed that the service is indeed free.
Update 3: Well, looks like we were wrong. The service is indeed only for customers of Flet’s and Mzone — here’s the press release from Starbucks.
By anonymous October 30, 2009 - 6:05 pm
The article says it is “public” wifi. Does that mean it’s free? I mean, most places already offer wifi services that are by definition public. . in the sense that they are available to the “paying” public.
By RL October 30, 2009 - 7:38 pm
Nah, It’s Flets. As far as I can tell from the Flets website, you have to pay ¥800 a month minimum. I wonder if its free for Flets broadband users – Softbank mobile users get access to Softbanks (very rare) mobilepoint service. NTT isn’t known for providing anything free tho’.
By Jean Snow October 30, 2009 - 7:43 pm
Starbucks has been offering some sort of for-pay wi-fi service for a while now, so I took this as meaning that it was going free.
By Katsuyoshi October 31, 2009 - 3:30 pm
As you updated, they offer wifi of NTT Flets Spot and NTT Docomo M-zone, so it’s probably same as Tully’s:
http://is.gd/4ISjy
By Joseph K November 2, 2009 - 7:37 am
Balls. Even I got a bit excited, and I don’t even live there anymore! If somewhere like Starbucks did starts offering it free, it might actually bump the whole of Tokyo towards a bit freer attitude towards wi-fi…
By maishado November 3, 2009 - 12:17 pm
What an emotional rollercoaster
By Jean Snow November 3, 2009 - 3:35 pm
With a sad ending.