Telecom outreaches Reach over Wifi

By PAUL BRISLEN

Telecom pushed aside Reach Wireless in the deal to introduce high-speed wireless internet access to Starbucks cafes nationwide.

Auckland-based Reach had tested the access - known as Wifi - at Starbucks and managing director Steve Simms said, "It's very flattering to see Telecom following in our footsteps." Reach offers Wifi at several BP service stations.

Starbucks general manager Aasha Murthy said the company switched to Telecom for national reach.

"I think places like Invercargill, New Plymouth and Palmerston North are important parts of our network and there are more people there interested in Wifi than is thought."

Starbucks has 36 stores and they should all be offering Wifi access by the end of the month.

Overseas, Starbucks offers an open connection model where anyone with a Wifi-equipped laptop can use the system. Here, Telecom's Wifi service is limited to customers with existing Xtra accounts.

Telecom head of Wifi services Paul Stoddart said the company was working on a solution and hoped to offer a casual user plan late in the year. For now, Xtra users can buy access for $8.84 an hour plus GST.

Telecom is rolling out Wifi hotspots, initially with the Millennium, Copthorne and Kingsgate hotel chains, and Stoddart said the company aimed to have close to 200 by the end of the year.

"We're using Wifi to complement our third-generation cellphone network rollout so, yes, I'd say we're going to be extending that number in the future."

Telecom has suggested it is in talks with a number of petrol station chains to offer Wifi.