Best Kept Secret: Cellular Internet by ICE
Most cellular telephone customers connected to the GSM network don't know that, if they have a browser enabled telephone, they can access the internet and for free. Yes, free. But not for long.

The Insituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) - the state monopoly on telecommunications - has had the service in the testing stage for almost two years, meaning the service is available but it does not have the required permission to charge customers, so it has kept it a small secret, providing the service to customers to take the time to call and ask for it.

However, that will change soon, once it gets the green light from the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep), the government body that regulates public prices and services.

The cost will be $11 per month, less than the cost of similar services in other countries. Cingular in the United States, for example, charges $25 per month for internet access.

The internet service in Costa Rica, using GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) which is the world's most ubiquitous wireless data service, available now with almost every GSM network. connects at speeds of 112Kb, dropping to 64Kb when the telephone is used to make or receive phone calls.

Currently there are only 30.000 customers using this pilot project. ICE expects at least 20.000 more in the coming weeks as it starts to promote the service and expects to have the rate approved by the end of January.

Orlando Cascante, head of mobile services for ICE, says that the $11 monthly fee is based on service available 24 hours, 7 days a week with additional connect costs.

Cellular phones can only access webpages known as WAP - Wireless Application Protocol - a secure specification that allows users to access information instantly via handheld wireless devices such as mobile phones, pagers, two-way radios, smartphones and communicators.

The GPRS standard also allows cellular customers, using a cable, infrared or bluetooth, to connect a computer and browse the internet anywhere there is cellular coverage.

Connecting a computer via a cellular phone, however, allows surfing the web like when connected by Cable Modem, DSL or dial up. In fact, the GPRS connection is more than double the dial up connection speed provided by RACSA.

One company, Avanti Limousine Services, offers it's customers the use of a cellular phone and a computer connected to the internet while travelling from one point to another in their chauffeured luxury vehicles.

If you have a GSM cellular telephone that is browser enabled, a call to ICE's 193 will start the process of getting connected to the internet. Once the call is made, a simple configuration of your phone to access the network is required (ICE offers help by telephone or online) and you are ready to surf the web.

For ICE's website and information on the service click here.

To access the Spanish daily newspaper La Nacion on your cellular phone: http://wap.nacion.com