Internet Cellular Service Approved
Following more than two years in a "pilot" program, internet over the cellular network will soon become a reality, following the long waited approval by the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep).

The cost of the service is fixed at ¢3.500 colones per month (us$6.75) and not the us$10 the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) had requested.

By way of the GPRS technology, GSM type phones with web browser capability can access the internet over the cellular network. ICE has had the service available in a pilot program for almost three years, allowing customers who requested the service to connect free of charge.

During mid last year most of the GPRS connections were discontinued as ICE made a formal application to provide the service for a fee.

Orlando Cascante, director of Mobile Services at ICE, says that the announcement of when the service will begin will be made sometime next week and that the price set by the Aresep is the upper limit, hinting that the service could cost even less.

The Aresp approval of the ICE request took a long time as some sort of "pulling of the ears" on the institution that has continually failed to provide adequate cellular service, especially with the GSM networks and more particularly the network installed by Alcatel.

The internet service is available only to subscribers of the GSM service - those cellular telephone numbers starting with 8 - and can be accessed only by telephones that have web capability, that is can communicate using GPRS.

Though ICE will offer internet service, the sending of emails and photos or videos will still not be possible. The service will only allow browsing the internet, similar to a laptop or desktop computer.

Also, by way of bluetooth technology, a desktop or portable computer can access the internet by connecting the cellular phone to the computer. This is extremely useful for an internet connection in remote areas or travelling in a vehicle where there is no cable or fixed phone dial up available, but there is a cellular signal.

To subscribe to the service, existing GSM cellular subscribers have to call ICE at 193 or visit a nearby ICE office once the start date is announced.