Free Wi-Fi Offer Swamps Starbucks Web Site

June 4, 2008 9:45 a.m. EST

Seattle, WA (AHN) - Coffee shop chain Starbucks was overwhelmed Tuesday after offering two free hours of Wi-Fi service daily to some customers. The company said visitors from the U.S. and Canada for hours could not sign up for the offer online.

In a message on Starbucks' Card Rewards Web site, visitors were told they were unable to sign up for the program "due to overwhelming interest." The problem was corrected by mid Tuesday, a company spokesperson told PCWorld.

Tuesday, Starbucks announced customers signing up for the $5 Card Rewards program would receive two free hours of Wi-Fi service from AT&T.