192 districts from 72 cantons will have free access to Internet, thanks to “Espacios Públicos Conectados” program, driven by the National Telecommunications Fund (FONATEL).
Humberto Pineda, director of FONATEL, declared that there will be about 1, 500,000 beneficiaries. 32.9 million dollars were approved.
The program is expected to be ready during the second half of 2017 and the first half of 2018.
Pineda stated that the National Telecommunications Fund’s objective is to reduce the digital divide. The goal is to provide a Costa Rica broadband network and to encourage free internet access in strategic areas.
According to the National Development Plan. sports centers, squares, parks and public spaces in general, will be delimited by FONATEL. They intend to make Internet a tool to develop and improve people’s quality of life.
Communities were chosen according to a methodology defined by the Fund. Poverty maps, rates of critical need and social backwardness, the district ranking from the Micitt, population density and criteria regarding places of interest and public value (cultural, educational and tourist value), were taken into account in order to select the communities.