Telecable, a telecommunications company with 100% Costa Rican capital, was awarded to implement in 170 sites the ambitious project of “Connected Public Spaces” of FONATEL, through its business unit, with the objective of reducing the country’s digital divide.
This is one of the 3 companies that took the commitment to develop this project. The telecommunications operator will be present in some areas of Guanacaste, Puntarenas, Heredia, San José, and the South Zone, completing 170 spaces. The sites will have high-speed Internet, links of 100, 200 and up to 300 megabytes, by means of a dedicated optical fiber.
The implementation work of the network in the sites will be carried out in 3 stages, with an approximate duration of 2 years. It is expected that by the 1st half of January 2019, the 1st canton connected will be Belén, in Heredia.
“The project of Connected Public Spaces that promotes the democratization of technology is completely aligned with the vision of Telecable. Besides promoting the value of innovation, this is the beginning for the country to have smart cities allows access to valuable content in education and digital government”, said Gerardo Chacón, CEO of Telecable.
About Connected Public Spaces
“Espacios Públicos Conectados” is a long-term megaproject, unique in Latin America and administered by the Superintendency of Telecommunications (SUTEL). Its objective is to bring free Internet via optical fiber to various public spaces in the country, including parks, plazas, 5 public libraries, train stations, and civic centers.
“In Latin America there are some similar projects. The difference, in the case of Costa Rica, is that it is a long-term program, with an integral model of sustainability that includes an ecosystem of development of telecommunications infrastructure of super broadband, access to users to generate and produce content, and literacy digital to state institutions and to the inhabitants, with a private-public partition”, said Humberto Pineda, General Director of FONATEL.
This initiative is the first step for the creation of smart cities since by providing Internet in public spaces, the digital development of communities is encouraged. In addition to providing the service, it will contribute to the creation of a culture for the proper use of this tool and will have security technology that will allow, among other things, to filter unsuitable content for minors.
