Starbucks to partner with Google for faster Wi-Fi

US coffee store Starbucks said that it has reached a deal with Google that will help in providing its customers a faster access to Wi-Fi from August.

The Seattle-based company has made Wi-Fi free at its stores since July 2010, doing away with a previous fee of $3.99 for two hours of access.

Starbucks said that Google, in conjunction with Level 3 Communications, will now be providing Wi-Fi service to its stores located in the US.

The new service will have an internet speed 10 times faster than the current service powered by AT&T.

The faster service will first appear in new Starbucks locations over the next month. Starbucks will then roll it out to its 7,000 other US stores, starting with the busiest locations where Wi-Fi usage is highest.

The company expects to complete the transition in about 18 months.

"This is obviously an important milestone in our relationship with Google," Starbucks Chief Digital Officer Adam Brotman told CNET.

"We do hope this is one step amongst many that we can continue to build upon what's already a great partnership with Google," he added.

With PTI inputs