Following the increasing trend of making wireless Internet a more common commodity, one of the biggest coffee shop networks in the United States, Starbucks ahs announced that, from July 1st, 2010, all of the Starbucks outlets across the country will be providing their patrons with free wifi hotspots, absolutely without any charge and that too without any time constraints.

This latest move by Starbucks is the result of a growing trend among numerous U.S brands and chains, that prefer to provide free wireless Internet in their stores. McDonalds has already initiated a similar program, where in almost every McDonalds outlet in the U.S is now enabled with free wifi access. Both Starbucks and McDonalds have contracts with AT&T, which is currently the biggest wireless Internet hotspots provides in the United States. Previously, Starbucks Digital Network y, all the guests at Starbucks were required to be customers of AT&T or buy a Starbucks login card to access two hours worth of wifi. However, with this new directive in place, the company has lifted all restrictions and just about everyone can access Internet through the wifi hotspots available at Starbucks.

Starbucks seems to be conducting an aggressive customer relations campaign to bring their guests closer to Starbucks. The company has also announced that, it would firing up an all new Starbucks Digital Network, in collaboration with Yahoo! Inc. where in Starbucks customers will be offered free and unlimited access paid websites and services such as Wall Street Journal, via mobile phones, tablets or laptops.

Via Mashable