Click to Skip Ad
Closing in...

Finally: Starbucks Wi-Fi that doesn’t suck, thanks to Google Fiber

Published Nov 4th, 2014 8:30PM EST
Google Fiber Starbucks Wi-Fi Kansas City

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

Anyone who’s ever tried working in a Starbucks or other popular cafe knows that Wi-Fi connections there can be spotty at best. However, there’s one Starbucks in Kansas City that should offer incredible Wi-Fi service all thanks to Google Fiber.

RELATED: Another reason to love Google Fiber — free, fast public Wi-Fi

Google this week said that it’s hooked up the 41st and Main Street Starbucks in Kansas City with a direct connection to Google Fiber, which means it now offers the fastest Wi-Fi service of any Starbucks in the country.

“At this Starbucks, visitors can connect to supercharged Wi-Fi through their wireless devices, so they can skim the morning headlines while they order or enjoy a cup of joe,” Google writes. “There are also new community tables, which have Chromebooks wired directly to Google Fiber, as well as built-in wireless charging technology to power up devices. With these new connections, there’s plenty of bandwidth for everyone to search, stream, and share—without the loading bars or buffering.”

Of course, the downside here is that this is literally just one Starbucks and it just happens to be located in one of the three markets where Google Fiber has set up shop. You shouldn’t expect your local neighborhood Starbucks to get anything remotely close to this soon and you’ll probably have to deal with poor Wi-Fi connectivity there for years to come.

Hopefully, Google will soon announce its long awaited expansion locations for Google Fiber and we’ll be able to hear about more Starbucks getting hooked up to insanely fast Internet services in the near future.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.