by Rod Hughes

RACSA, a part of the government Internet access monopoly, is offering 20,000 new wireless Internet connections via WiMax for San Jose, Alajuela, Cartago and Heredia and promises to extend the service to Ciudad Colon and Paraiso in three months. Other than being wireless, WiMax also is more powerful, ranging from 512 kilobits to two megabits of download in RACSA’s case.

The latter capacity is 30 times that of RACSA’s land lines. With WiMax, RACSA is hoping to attract consumers who desire broadband that has been closed to them by technology limitations in the company’s cable modem service and in ICE’s ADSL system.

According to RACSA marketing strategist Mauricio Barrantes, WiMax connection rates will be $29 for the 512 to 256 kilobit tehcnology to $244 for the two megabits. Microwave-generating bases are in action in central San Jose, Santa Ana, Alajuela, Desamparados, Heredia and Cartago. An antena outside the customer’s home and from there through wires to the computer via a decoder that is rented from RACSA for $6 monthly. The equipment functions 24/7. If you purchased the decoder, it would cost you $500, according to the newspaper La Nacion.

In three months, RACSA will rent out equipment that will allow customers to transform WiMax into WiFi which will allow laptops, cell phones and even electronc agendas to access WiFi. But WiFi has a much shorter range and slower speed and is contemplated for whole city networks.

To inquire about these services one can call (in Costa)Rica, 800-NAVIGAR (800-628-3427 or access www.racsa.c… . RACSA has been looking ahead, anticipating the opening of the telecommunications market to competition, doing what the subsidiary can to be competitive.