INSIDE COSTARICA.COM | COSTA RICA NEWS BRIEFS | Saturday 22 January 2011

Costa Rica To Be A Wi-Fi Zone



If presidenta Laura Chinchilla has her way, Costa Rica will be one big Wi-Fi zone, which means free wireless internet for everyone.



The free wireless is included in the Plan Nacional de Desarollo (National Development Plan) 2011-2014, as one of the government's priorities in science and technology.



Page 194 of the document reads "Having a wireless network that allows the public permanent access to Internet."



The ministra de Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnolog�a (Micit), Clotilde Fonseca, confirms the interest of the government to develop a free network at the highest speed possible.



"The idea is to have a wireless connectivity layer, for example, for young people in schools and colleges, for tourists and for small and medium enterprises (PYMES). It would be a wide band but at a speed that does not compete with commercial services," said Fonseca.



The ministra said �180 million colones has been allocated to get the project moving, that would be similar to a project Panama is developing at a cost of us$25 million dollars.



Panama began its free wireless internet access development project last year, bringing to everyone a mixed Wi-Max, a high speed and long range signal, while Wi-Fi is lower in speed and range.



In Panama, an free internet signal is available in public places like health offices, municipalities and libraries, to name a few, offering a connection between 512 Kbps and 1 Mbps.



Fonseca accepts that the budget will not allow her ministry to fully develop the plan, for which she is counting on financial support by the Fondo Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (Fonatel), boosted by the us$170 million dollars paid by Movistar and Claro for cellular licenses.



George Miley, head of the Superintendencia General de Telecomunicaciones (Sutel) - government regulator of communications in Costa Rica - says that a free wireless internet would greatly benefit the country.



The La Ley General de Telecomunicaciones (telecommunications law) requires that residents of all regions of Costa Rica and without discrimination in terms of price and quality be provided with minimum telecommunications services, points out Miley and the free wireless internet allows the government to comply with the law. AvenidaClassifieds

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