(QCOSTARICA) The Espacios Públicos Conectados (Public Spaces Online) project that seeks to bring free wireless internet access or “hotspots“ to residents of 72 cantones (counties) across the country will begin next year.
Between 2017 and 2022, some US$32 million dollars from the National Telecommunications Fund (Fondo Nacional de Telecomunicaciones – Fonatel) will be invested in the project, implemented in stages.
The first phase of the projet will reach 40 cantons, and the remaining sites in the second phase, when 72 of 192 cantones in the country will Wi-Fi wireless networks in main parks and town squares.
“There are some municipalities that are far more advanced than others, because they have more resources, the Fonatel is looking to close the digital divide in the areas where it is needed. We do not say that we will not support most of the municipalities, but there is a prioritization and focus on those with greater digital divide,” said Humberto Pineda, director of Fonatel.
Although the bidding has not gone to public tender, three operators have expressed interest in the project: Tigo, Movistar and Claro.
Norman Chaves, manager of corporate affairs at Tigo said, “our suggestions were merely technical, mainly the way the network will be used, equipment and service levels”.
District ranking, population density, tourist interest and education are factors in determine the priority in which cantons will get connected.
The following is an alphabetical order of the 72 cantones to have hotspots within the next five years:
1. Abangares
2. Acosta
3. Aguirre
4. Alajuela
5. Alvarado
6. Aserrí
7. Atenas
8. Bagaces
9. Barva
10. Belén
11. Buenos Aires
12. Cañas
13. Carrillo
14. Cartago
15. Corredores
16. Coto Brus
17. Curridabat
18. Desamparados
19. Dota
20. El Guarco
21. Esparza
22. Garabito
23. Golfito
24. Grecia
25. Guácimo
26. Guatuso
27. Heredia
28. Hojancha
29. Jiménez
30. La Cruz
31. León Cortés Castro
32. Liberia
33. Limón
34. Los Chiles
35. Matina
36. Montes de Oca
37. Montes de Oro
38. Mora
39. Nandayure
40. Naranjo
41. Nicoya
42. Oreamuno
43. Orotina
44. Osa
45. Palmares
46. Paraíso
47. Parrita
48. Pérez Zeledón
49. Poás
50. Pococí
51. Puntarenas
52. Puriscal
53. San Carlos
54. San José
55. San Mateo
56. San Pablo
57. San Ramón
58. Santa Ana
59. Santa Bárbara
60. Santa Cruz
61. Santo Domingo
62. Sarapiquí
63. Siquirres
64. Talamanca
65. Tarrazú
66. Tibás
67. Tilarán
68. Turrialba
69. Turrubares
70. Upala
71. Valverde Vega
72. Zarcero
