After months of back and forth, bargaining and posturing, AT&T has finally made its plan to offer free Wi-Fi access to iPhone owners official.

The deal, which applies to over 17,000 AT&T hot spots in the U.S., also includes Starbucks locations that offer Wi-Fi access.

To take advantage of the access, iPhone owners must join the “attwifi” wireless network at a participating location, then enter their ten digit mobile phone number into a form. They’ll then be sent a free text message with a hyperlink; tapping on that link will begin the session. AT&T says free access is renewable every 24 hours, but the process must be completed separately for each different location. It’s odd, but at least it’s free.

The access has been confirmed by several sources at several sites as working at this time.