No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsBusinessKorean company could offer free national Wi-Fi network in Costa Rica

Korean company could offer free national Wi-Fi network in Costa Rica

Ticos may be able to forget about asking for Wi-Fi passwords for their smartphones and tablets if a new public infrastructure project gets off the ground.

Casa Presidencial and the Foreign Trade Ministry announced Thursday that the government is in discussions with the South Korean company Wells Communications, Inc. to develop a national LED public lighting system that would also provide free wireless Internet and closed-circuit video surveillance, according to a statement. The proposed Wi-Fi network would broadcast up to 500 meters from each light post.

Wells Communications CEO Dae Woo Kim met with officials in Presidency Minister Melvin Jiménez’s offices. Kim also floated the possibility of opening a light–emitting diodes manufacturing facility in Costa Rica. Jiménez’s office said that Foreign Trade Minister Alexander Mora would coordinate a working group to continue discussions with the Korean firm.

The project “is very attractive and interesting because it coincides with the interests of the government to improve energy efficiency and competitiveness,” Mora said in a statement, adding that the project would be “environmentally friendly.”

With Intel’s exit from microprocessor manufacturing in Costa Rica, the Foreign Trade Ministry is on the hunt for more hi-tech industries to maintain the country’s profile with foreign investors. President Luis Guillermo Solís leaves for Mexico City Saturday in his latest foreign-investment trip.

South Korea is the world’s most “connected” society when it comes to Internet access, speed and affordability, consistently ranking at the top of the United Nations ICT Development Index.

 

Trending Now

A Costa Rica Love Story: From Rustic Cabina to Separate Dreams

My Tica wife and I have been together for over a quarter century. When we met, I was living a simple life here. Three...

Fishing, Wildlife, and History in Costa Rica’s Barra del Colorado

Costa Rica’s Barra del Colorado is a magical and charming town. It’s one of the country’s hidden gems, best known for its world-class sport...

Costa Rica Pushes USA to the Brink but Falls in Penalty Heartbreak

If you just caught the end of the USA vs. Costa Rica Gold Cup quarterfinal, you probably feel like you need another cup of...

Costa Rica’s Rare Birds at Risk as Human Activity Threatens Extinction

Costa Rica’s bare-necked umbrellabird, a striking black bird with a red throat pouch and crest, is in trouble. A new study in Nature Ecology...

Costa Rica and Panama Seek Gold Cup Glory Against North American Giants

With no Caribbean teams advancing, a Central American contingent made up of Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Guatemala heads into the quarterfinals of the...

Honduras Seizes $2 Million, Gold-Plated Pistols in Drug Raid

Honduran authorities struck a blow against drug cartels, seizing over $2 million in cash, war rifles, and flashy gold-plated pistols in Copán, a northwest...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica