QCOSTARICA – At a cost of US$167 million dollars, Costa Rica has launched its CR Digital – national access services strategy, providing 240 communities across the country with free internet service.
The government plan is provide the service to 125 communities in 2016 and another 185 in 2017, according to Emilio Arias, deputy minister of Telecommunications.
The air of the plan is reduce poverty, create jobs and advance social inclusion via the development of five programs promoting internet access and use.
The initiative will be funded by the Fondo Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (FONATEL) – National Telecommunications Fund, and will focus above all on the most vulnerable parts of the population.
“To continue to build the bridge to Development; we will give equipment and donate access to a subsidized Internet to households in poverty and extreme poverty. We will equip people with disabilities, children, youths, the elderly, the indigenous, and women heads of household and microentrepreneurs, “Arias said.
The deputy minister said the state will provide the best broadband connection in places where people go for public services.
Source: La Nacion