Free public Wi-Fi across PHL to be implemented in 2015 - DOST

The Department of Science and Technology is about to implement free public Wi-Fi across the entire country, a massive endeavor that the agency said will start in July this year.

 

Places where broadband Wi-Fi hotspots will be installed include plazas, schools, hospital, piers, government offices, and airport terminals. The average speed will be 256 kbps, reports Bam Alegre on State of the Nation with Jessica Soho.

 

 

“Kaugnay nito ng karapatan ng mamamayan sa impormasyon. Lalo na impormasyon na nanggagaling sa gobyerno,” said Edgardo Cabarrios, NTC Director. “Kasi kung may free Wi-Fi, ma-access nila yung mga information na dapat iparating sa kanila.” Cabarrios added that there will be data-capping to prevent users from abusing the free Wi-Fi.

 

According to IT experts, this project will be able to help people in provinces with education, especially in since they will have access to government databases. It also offers a cheaper alternative to long-distance phone calls.

 

The fact that the Philippines is an archipelago will pose some problems for the implementation of the project. According to IT expert Philip Cheang, before other countries with nationwide free Wi-Fi deployed their projects, their private Internet services were already fast to begin with.

 

Since there will be a need to rent infrastructure from private companies, bidding for partnerships with the private sector will be starting this month. — Bea Montenegro/TJD, GMA News