High-Speed Internet Waits Grow Longer

The waiting time for high-speed Internet is not so high speed.

Last month’s price drop for high-speed Internet service has resulted in a flood of requests for Internet connections that has the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) struggling to keep up with demand.

ICE reported that on average, it takes two weeks to provide connections. Some clients have reported waiting months, however.

ICE says longer waits for connections are the result of a spike in demand after it announced July 16 that rates dropped 42-60%, depending on the connection. ICE reported that requests for fast Internet access have nearly doubled since, to 150 a day.

The cheapest rate for a 256/128 kilobitsper-second connection is $19 per month.

High-speed Internet uses DSL technology, which permits the system to stay connected to the Internet 24 hours a day for a flat fee without tying up a phone line.

The country has more than 40,000 highspeed connections and ICE plans to hook up 20,000 more by the end of the year.

After ICE reduced its rates last month, Radiográfica Costarricense S.A. (RACSA), the state-owned Internet provider, announced that next month it will sell a 256/64 kbps connection for $16.95.

RACSA will also offer a new monthly rate of $4.95 to connect to the Internet via a regular phone line, at a connection speed of 56 kbps.