Google gives AT&T the boot, will supply 7000 US Starbucks locations with WiFi starting next month

After a brief announcement back in June that it had partnered with Starbucks to offer free, unlimited music through its new Google Play All Access streaming service, Google today announced that it will soon be supplying WiFi to all Starbucks locations in the US. That also includes its new gigabit Google Fiber internet service where available:

When your local Starbucks WiFi network goes Google, you’ll be able to surf the web at speeds up to 10x faster than before. If you’re in a Google Fiber city, we’re hoping to get you a connection that’s up to 100x faster.

Up until now, AT&T provided free Wifi access to Starbucks customers in the US (and T-Mobile before that), but it appears that will no longer be the case following the roll out of Google’s networks in the coming weeks.

Google plans to start rolling out its new Starbucks networks next month and hopes to have all 7,000 US locations up and running on its networks within 18 months. Google noted, “You’ll know your new network is ready to go when you can log in to the “Google Starbucks” SSID.”

Earlier this month Google paid $600k to provide 31 San Francisco parks and outdoor spaces with free WiFi for two years, and the company continues to expand its Google Fiber service that was originally launched in Kansas. Perhaps Google sold Starbucks on the fact that many of its locations would soon benefit from its the up to 100x faster Fiber networks.