Chicago (IL) - We have known about AT&T's plan to provide free Wi-Fi access to iPhone users for some time, but news that it actually would become available was usually squashed by retractions. This time, however, it appears that AT&T is serious. The carrier is sending text messages to iPhone subscribers, pointing them to a web page that explains the free access to any of its 17,000 hotspots across the nation.

The AT&T is finally allowing iPhone subscribers to access its 17,000 U.S. Wi-Fi hotspots free of charge. According to the company, users can connect to Wi-Fi access points at Starbucks Wi-Fi locations, airports, hotels, universities, conventions and sports centers, restaurants, bookstores and supermarkets. The long overdue offering significantly increases the usability of the iPhone since Wi-Fi typically provides faster data transfer rates than 3G (provided you aren’t trying to connect to an overcrowded airport hotspot on a Monday morning.)

"AT&T knows Wi-Fi is hot, and free Wi-Fi is even hotter," the carrier on a web page dedicated to Wi-Fi access. "Free AT&T Wi-Fi access is now available for Apple iPhone at thousands of hotspots nationwide, including Starbucks".

Accessing such a hotspot is fairly easy and requires users to simply activate Wi-Fi connectivity in the device’s Settings application and select "attwifi" from the list of wireless networks. Users have to enter their mobile phone number so that AT&T can send the secure link to the hotspot in a free SMS message.