Panama: Free Internet Is On Its Way

Free Internet Is On Its Way

Stroy La Estrella

PANAMA. The contract to bring free internet to the entire country, particularly low-income families, has been awarded to Liberty Technology Corp at a cost of $25. 5 million.

According to Liberty’s proposal, the 512kbps, 24-hour-a-day, wide band, 7 day a week wireless “Wi-Fi” and “Wimax” service should be up and running by the second week of October.

One of the promises of president Ricardo Martinelli during his election campaign was that people would have free access to internet within the first 100 days of his administration.

The free access points that will be set up in the first phase of the project will target numerous public areas including parks, tourist sites, schools, libraries, universities, hospitals and health centers in Penonome, Colon, David, Chitre, Las Tablas, Pese, Arraijan, La Chorrera, Santiago, Sona and the capital city.

In the second phase, public access sites in Meteti, Bugaba, Aguadulce, Chepigana, Ocu, Los Santos, Capira, Chame, Chepo and San Miguelito, Bocas del Toro and Changuinola will be put on line.

The second phase should be completed by 18 January 2010.

Liberty Technology Corp. will limit access to certain government-specified sites, including those involving pornography, “peer to peer“, gambling, downloading music and videos, and others.

The project entitled National Network for Universal Access is run out of the government’s Innovations Office.

The initial implementation costs will be $6.9 million, with an additional monthly fee of $310,000.

Liberty Technologies Corp was founded in 2003.