T-Mobile Rollout High-Speed Broadband Wireless Internet Access

High-speed wireless Internet access becomes faster, simpler and more convenient today as Starbucks Coffee Company, T-Mobile International, the wireless subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom and HP officially launch T-Mobile HotSpot service in Starbucks coffeehouses. A press conference will be held at 10 a.m. Pacific in San Francisco with Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman and chief global strategist; John Stanton, Chairman, T-Mobile, U.S. Operations; and Michael Capellas, president of HP.

As easy as ordering their latte, Starbucks customers can check e-mail, surf the Web, watch streaming video or download multi-media presentations in the comfort of Starbucks via a fast, reliable standards based wireless Internet connection for notebook computers and Pocket PCs. Starting today, Starbucks customers can trial T-Mobile HotSpot service for free at approximately 1,200 Starbucks stores in the United States. An additional 800 Starbucks locations in the U.S. are scheduled to feature the service by the end of the year. With an eye toward global expansion, Starbucks and T-Mobile have also initiated a six-month pilot in select London and Berlin locations.

"This service is a natural extension of the Starbucks coffeehouse experience, which has always been about making connections with the people and information that are important to us over a cup of coffee," said Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman and chief global strategist. "Mobile professionals across the globe have been waiting for just such an offering: high-speed wireless Internet access in a familiar and widely available location that keeps them connected while on the road, or between the home and office. It's the right service offered in the right environment."

T-Mobile HotSpot service uses standards based "Wi-Fi" (802.11b) technology and is easily accessible for Starbucks customers with a wireless-ready notebook computer or Pocket PC. Backed by T-1 connections in popular venues in the U.S., T-Mobile HotSpot service is reliable and fast enough to accommodate the full spectrum of applications from checking e-mail to multi-media video conferencing with a high-speed wireless connection as much as 40 - 50 times faster than standard dial-up Internet access.

As the preferred technology provider for Starbucks corporate headquarters and its network of retail stores, HP also introduces the new Wireless Connection Manager. The free, downloadable software makes it simple for mobile professionals to configure their wirelessly enabled notebook and Pocket PCs to automatically sense and connect to available wireless networks, making the move from home to office to Starbucks a breeze. The easy-to-use Wireless Connection Manager software will assist Starbucks customers in moving between T-Mobile HotSpot and other wireless networks in which they may connect. Starbucks customers can visit www.starbucks.com/hotspot to download the free HP software and order specially bundled HP mobile products such as Evo notebook computers, iPAQ Pocket PCs, and Wireless PC cards.

With today's announcement, the service is now available at Starbucks stores in Atlanta; Austin, TX; Boston; Connecticut; Denver; Dallas-Ft-Worth; Houston; New York; New Jersey; Philadelphia; Portland, OR; the San Francisco Bay area; and the Seattle-Puget Sound region. Additionally, stores in southern California, including Los Angeles; Chicago; Maryland; Pittsburgh; Virginia; and Washington DC, are scheduled to be enabled before the end of the calendar year. Customers can easily identify which of their favorite Starbucks have broadband wireless Internet access by looking for the T-Mobile HotSpot sign near Starbucks entrances or by visiting Starbucks and T-Mobile's websites.
The service is also available in select Starbucks stores in London and Berlin. Additional cities will be added to the European pilot over the next several months.

John Stanton, Chairman, T-Mobile, U.S. Operations, said T-Mobile HotSpot service demonstrates how T-Mobile is using its leadership position in wireless data to deliver on its "Get More" Promise(R) to customers, enabling them to use the most current innovations in wireless services to get more from life(R). "Our relationship with Starbucks and HP demonstrates T-Mobile's commitment to deliver on the promise of fast, reliable, and convenient wireless Internet access," said Stanton. "Today, T-Mobile's HotSpot service represents the largest carrier-owned 802.11b network in the world and a powerful, comprehensive service offering when combined with the reach of our nationwide GSM/GPRS voice and high-speed data network. T-Mobile will continue to form alliances with great partners, like Starbucks, to deliver what customers crave from wireless data services -- coverage where they want it, and speed when they need it."

"HP's vision is to eliminate the boundaries of mobile computing, making wireless access fast, easy and rewarding," said Michael Capellas, president of HP. "Not only does HP offer the broadest array of innovative mobile technology today, but we're collaborating with Starbucks and T-Mobile on future technologies to deliver a constant stream of wireless products and places to enrich the mobile experience for our mutual customers worldwide."
To connect, customers need a T-Mobile HotSpot account and Wi-Fi capability for their notebook computer or Pocket PC. To log in to the service and establish a connection, customers with a properly configured notebook or Pocket PC simply need to launch their Internet browser from within a participating Starbucks and login.

T-Mobile is offering Starbucks customers a Free Day Pass, available in participating Starbucks locations, to get a free one-time 24 hour trial of the wireless broadband service. Additionally, T-Mobile offers a variety of Internet access service plans to accommodate the needs of all customers, including National and Local Unlimited monthly subscription plans, as well as Prepay and Pay-As-You-Go plans.