La Isla acelera hacia el futuro móvil (http://www.elnuevodia.com/laislaacelerahaciaelfuturomovil-1135277.html)
Con millonarias inversiones por parte de empresas como AT&T y Claro, los consumidores en Puerto Rico ya pueden experimentar velocidades reales de cuarta generación

Por Yalixa Rivera Cruz / yrivera@elnuevodia.com
El futuro de la comunicación inalámbrica ya está aquí, se llama LTE, y Puerto Rico se encuentra entre un grupo privilegiado de países que la ofrece.

Hace tan solo unas semanas AT&T rompió el hielo al anunciar el lanzamiento de su nueva red LTE 4G, días después Claro hizo lo propio al anunciar también la disponibilidad de LTE para sus clientes. Muy pronto los subscriptores de la proveedora Open Mobile también tendrán lo que se conoce el verdadero 4G.

¿Pero qué es realmente LTE? En palabras sencillas hablamos de una tecnología diseñada principalmente para la transferencia de datos de forma inalámbrica, eficiente y rápida. Capaz de ofrecer velocidades pico que en condiciones adecuadas superan los 100 mbps (megabites por segundo).

LTE está considerada como la evolución natural del UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), bajo la cual se puede descargar películas y archivos prácticamente en tiempo real, y sin tiempo latencia o demora, al menos así lo proponen las proveedoras que ya ofrecen el servicio.

Se supone que bajo condiciones excelentes, la red LTE le permita al usuario tener una experiencia satisfactoria cuando realiza varias descargas simultáneas de datos, al ofrecer un proceso rápido y sin interrupciones.

En ocasiones, la velocidad de conexión podría supera los 100 mbps. Mucho más de lo que ofrecen actualmente las compañías de cable que ofrecen internet fijo. A la fecha la más que se acerca a estas velocidades es Liberty Puerto Rico, que recientemente lanzó un paquete donde ofrece hasta 50 mbps.

Sin embargo, todos estos factores dependen de las condiciones de la red, de la cantidad de usuarios conectados al mismo tiempo y de los equipos que se utilicen para conectarse.

Negocios supo en exclusiva que a partir del martes (lunes a las 12:00 a.m.) AT&T estará incluyendo a más pueblos en su lanzamiento inicial de su red LTE.

“Estamos hablando que desde Vega Baja hasta Fajardo (cubriendo la región norte) y bajando hasta Cidra, a partir del martes tendrán LTE”, declaró José Juan Dávila, gerente general de AT&T en Puerto Rico.

Además, este segundo lanzamiento incluirá en la región sur a los pueblos de Ponce, Juana Díaz y Santa Isabel.

Estas nuevas regiones, se suman a la zona metropolitana, donde áreas de San Juan, Bayamón, Guaynabo y Carolina, ya contaban con LTE.

Ambas proveedoras, no detallaron ni la inversión específica en la nueva infraestructura, ni el plan de extensión de la red 4G.

“Esto son noticias extraordinarias. Con esta expansión cubriremos el 60% de la población de Puerto Rico”, dijo el ejecutivo.

El plan sucesivo de expansión de la red se irá definiendo en la medida en que se vayan completando los trabajos de infraestructura que requieren nuevos equipos y la instalación de una cantidad considerable de fibra óptica.

“La inversión de la nueva red está contenida en los $55 millones que se tenían para invertir este año”, indicó Dávila.

De igual forma, Claro a través de su presidente, Enrique Ortiz de Montellano, especificó que la inversión de este lanzamiento está incluida en los $200 millones anuales que debe invertir cada año la proveedora, según le requiere la Comisión Federal de Comunicaciones (FCC).

La diferencia

Es mucho lo que se ha dicho sobre 4G, ya que mucho antes de que verdaderamente se levantaran estas nuevas redes proveedoras como T-Mobile y la misma Claro y AT&T, desde el año pasado le han hablado a los consumidores sobre su ofrecimiento de velocidades 4G, a pesar de que sus redes en ese momento no eran LTE (al menos en el caso de Claro y AT&T).

Y es que hasta ese momento y aún ahora, lo que se ofrecía realmente eran velocidades de teóricas de 21 mbps y el caso de T-Mobile 42 mbps, consideradas en teoría LTE. Sin embargo, no se trata de velocidades sostenidas sino más bien teóricas que son posibles gracias a las optimizaciones que se han logrado a través de las redes UMTS-HSDPA +, que no es otra cosa que un 3.5G.

Juan Eugenio Rodríguez, el principal ejecutivo de información (CIO) del Gobierno, destacó que LTE sin lugar a dudas se propone como una alternativa idónea para acercar la tecnología a los puertorriqueños y poder insertarlos en el intercambio comercial, educacional y de salud que se lleva a cabo mundialmente, precisamente gracias al internet de banda ancha.

LTE como motor económico

Al tiempo, Rodríguez alabó la gestión privada que están haciendo las compañías. Sin embargo, señaló que toda esa inversión y todo este esfuerzo debe estar acompañado de una iniciativa educacional que les explique a los consumidores todo lo que pueden hacer con esta tecnología.

“Se necesita que esta nueva tecnología se implemente junto a un plan socioeconómico que provoque una demanda. Se necesita educar a ese el agricultor, que cultiva café en la montaña, que puede aprovechar la tecnología para vender su café en el mundo entero”, detalló el funcionario.

Y explicó, “LTE no se trata solo de tener más velocidad y capacidad para bajar la película o el juego más rápido, va mucho más allá. Se trata de enseñarle a un paciente la capacidad de poder monitorear en línea su salud, a tener un contacto directo con su doctor a través de vídeo conferencia o de simplemente tener acceso digital a su récord médico”.

Por su parte, el gerente de AT&T aseguró que la proveedora estará muy activa en la promoción y educación de lo que representa LTE.

“Nosotros estaremos apoyando aquellas iniciativas que den a conocer este esfuerzo”, dijo.

“La tecnología de banda ancha móvil no es un lujo. Es una plataforma de innovación tan necesaria como son los aeropuertos y las carreteras”, añadió.

Dávila anticipó que llegará el momento que, cuando los consumidores experimenten LTE, se darán cuenta de que no podrán vivir sin él.

“Hay que crear la demanda”

Sin embargo, mientras se llega a ese momento, Rodríguez explicó las compañías deberán trabajar en la creación de la demanda, porque de nada vale tener lo último en comunicación si las personas no saben aprovecharlo.

“Uno de los problemas más grandes que confronta tanto Puerto Rico como Estados Unidos en el tema de atajar la brecha de internet de banda ancha es la adopción. Muchas personas no reconocen o no le ven la necesidad al uso de banda ancha y eso hay que cambiarlo”, expresó.

Cifras presentadas a través del esfuerzo federal Connect Puerto Rico, que busca retratar el mapa actual del uso de banda ancha e incentivar su uso, sostiene que el 86% de la población en Puerto Rico tiene acceso a internet de banda ancha, pero solo el 31% tiene el servicio en sus hogares.

El funcionario señaló que el factor pobreza, los altos costos de internet y la topografía montañosa de la región central de la Isla son otras barreras con las que hay que trabajar.

Sin embargo, se ha dicho que la llegada de LTE estas son fronteras que se podrían sobrepasar ya que el acceso a internet de alta velocidad se haría accesible a más personas.

El espectro, un problema

Pero esto no es todo, uno de los limitantes más grande que tiene esta tecnología es el uso del espectro. Situación que ya ha causado grandes debates en la industria como ha sido el caso de la hasta ahora frustrada compraventa entre T-Mobile y AT&T, donde la necesidad de mayor espectro por parte de esta última se ha coronado como el motivador principal de la transacción.

“Los espacios destinados a telefonía móvil comercial ya están ocupados. Básicamente todo el espectro que tenía disponible Puerto Rico ya lo ocupan las compañías móviles que operan localmente”, dijo el CIO.

Uso exponencial

No es un secreto que la accesibilidad a productos móviles para navegar en internet y el incremento en las velocidades de conexión han disparado el uso de datos en la red, a tal punto que Cisco System estimó que, el tráfico mundial de datos móviles incrementará 26 veces lo que es ahora, solo entre 2010 y 2015. Se habla de un consumo promedio mensual de 6.3 exabytes (10, con 18 ceros).

Es precisamente esta incapacidad de crecimiento por la limitación en el uso del espectro, administrado por la Comisión Federal de Comunicaciones (FCC, por sus siglas en inglés), que las compañías de servicio de telecomunicaciones han optado por imponer cantidades máximas de uso de la red de datos en aras de maximizar el recurso.

Según confirmará recientemente Anna Gómez, diputada de la secretaría de comunicación e información de la Administración de Telecomunicaciones e Información del Departamento de Comercio de Estados Unidos, a partir del 2012, la FCC pondrá a la venta una partida de espectro para uso de data que ahora mismo está en manos de agencias de gobierno (federal) y que no están siendo utilizados.

Al tanto de la tendencia en el uso de datos y bajo orden del presidente Barack Obama, en su iniciativa de llevar banda ancha a todo los Estados Unidos, incluido Puerto Rico, la FCC anunció que cambiará el programa de fondos universales que actualmente subsidia a las compañías de servicio de comunicación alámbrica e inalámbrica para que lleven sus servicios a las comunidades no servidas.

Pero mientras esto sucede, las compañías tendrán que ingeniárselas para optimizar el uso de sus recursos y hacer grandes inversiones en la implementación de esta nueva tecnología que requiere grandes inyecciones de capital, principalmente en la implementación de fibra óptica.

PR leads in non-computer Web use (http://caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=66215&ct_id=1&ct_name=1)
By CB Online Staff
cbnews@caribbeanbusinesspr.com


Puerto Rico posted the highest percentage of non-computer Internet traffic in Latin America, according to the latest comScore Inc. report for October 2011.
Puerto Rico’s 5.9 percent was followed by Costa Rica (3.7 percent) and Chile (3.1 percent).

The report on connected device usage found that non-computer devices (including mobile phones, tablets, and other connected devices) accounted for an average of 2.6 percent of all web browsing activity across the 10 Latin American markets included in the study.

When looking at non-computer traffic, Brazil had the highest percentage of web traffic coming from tablets at 39.9 percent, while Chile had the highest percentage of web traffic coming from mobile phones at 78.8 percent.

“Consumers’ digital media consumption is rapidly expanding to multiple devices as a growing number of Latin Americans stay connected though smartphones and tablets,” said Alejandro Fosk, comScore senior vice president for Latin America. “Understanding how these multiple platforms influence consumers’ media consumption habits should be at the top of marketers’, advertisers’ and publishers’ 2012 planning lists, because the new realities of the multiplatform digital environment will only become more disruptive over time.”

Analysis of the current distribution of Internet traffic (defined as browser-based Internet page views) across devices found that traditional computers still account for an overwhelming majority of Internet traffic across most markets, although non-computer traffic has continued to increase in the past year.

When looking exclusively at non-computer traffic, different countries in Latin America exhibited varying mixes of traffic coming from mobile, tablets and other connected devices. In Chile, mobile phones accounted for 78.8 percent of non-computer Internet traffic, the highest percentage of mobile traffic among the markets included in the study. Argentina followed with 77.0 percent of its non-computer Internet traffic occurring on mobile phones in October.

In Puerto Rico, 45.6 percent of traffic went through mobile phones.

Brazil had the highest share of non-computer traffic coming from tablets, which accounted for 39.9 percent of all non-computer page views. In Colombia, tablets accounted for 38.9 percent, while in Puerto Rico they drove 34.6 percent of non-computer traffic.

When looking at the operating system (OS) share of non-computer traffic among the selected Latin American markets, Apple’s iOS led the way in the wide majority of countries. Apple accounted for the highest percentage of non-computer traffic in Colombia (64.3 percent), followed by Puerto Rico (63.7 percent), Brazil (60.6 percent), Chile (60.2 percent), and Mexico (60.0 percent). These high percentages were driven by high intensity of media consumption among iPhone users combined with the iPad’s dominance in the tablet market. Android’s OS led in one of the included markets, Argentina, accounting for 33.1 percent of non-computer traffic.

Puerto Rico’s OS breakdown for non-computer Internet traffic was: iOS (63.7 percent), Android (28.4 percent), Symbian (0.3 percent), RIM (1.2 percent) and other (6.5 percent).

AT&T Launches New Data Plans (http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=22240&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=33672&mapcode=consumer|mobile-devices)

Customers Get More Data, More Value
Dallas, Texas, January 18, 2012

ShareThis
AT&T today announced new data plans for smartphone and tablet customers that will launch this Sunday, January 22. The plans give customers more data and value.

The new smartphone plans include:

AT&T Data Plus 300MB: $20 for 300MB
AT&T Data Pro 3GB: $30 for 3GB
AT&T Data Pro 5GB: $50 for 5GB, with mobile hotspot / tethering
Smartphone customers needing additional data can pay $10 per additional gigabyte on the AT&T Data Pro 3GB and Data Pro 5GB plans; AT&T Data Plus users will receive an extra 300MB for $20.

The new tablet plans* include:

AT&T DataConnect 3GB: $30 for 3GB
AT&T DataConnect 5GB: $50 for 5GB
Existing smartphone and tablet customers will have the choice of keeping their current plans or choosing one of these new plans, and the current $14.99 for 250MB plan for tablet customers will remain available.

To help customers determine which data plan best matches their needs, AT&T has helpful tools at www.att.com/dataplans – including a data calculator where customers can estimate usage for their typical data activity. Once smartphone and tablet customers are on a plan, AT&T keeps them informed of their usage levels by sending usage alerts as they consume data within their plan. For example, a smartphone customer with AT&T DataPlus 300MB will receive a text message when they consume 65 percent of their data bucket, plus two additional alerts as they approach the 300MB provided with their plan.

“Customers are using more data than ever before,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “Our new plans are driven by this increasing demand in a highly competitive environment, and continue to deliver a great value to customers, especially as we continue our 4G LTE deployment.”

Customers are encouraged to keep their device’s Wi-Fi turned on because data usage over Wi-Fi does not count against a customer’s monthly data plan. As an added value, AT&T smartphone and tablet customers have access at no additional charge to AT&T’s 29,000 Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide – the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network.** Customers can get more information at www.att.com/wifiaccess.

For more information, visit www.att.com/dataplans.

* Plans are for 30 days and automatically renew every 30 days, unless you cancel service prior to the start of the 30 day renewal. Overage rates only apply to postpaid tablet plans – not session based pricing – and include: $14.99 for 250MB with AT&T DataConnect 250MB; and $10 per additional gigabyte with AT&T DataConnect 3GB and AT&T DataConnect 5GB.

** Largest based on company branded and operated hotspots. Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. A Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See www.attwifi.com for details and locations.

AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

Transformación en Open Mobile (http://www.vocero.com/negocios-es/transformacion-en-open-mobile)
Por Ileanexis Vera Rosado
EL VOCERO7 de febrero de 2012

La compañía de comunicación inalámbrica Open Mobile incursionará este año en la tecnología 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution), que la conducirá a una mayor cobertura a nivel Isla, lo cual espera apoyar con unidades móviles más sofisticadas y agresivas estrategias de sus servicios sin contrato.

Según analistas de la industria, el crecimiento de la estrategia de Open Mobile –de concretar todos sus planes de desarrollo– a corto plazo, hará crecer el servicio de telefonía inalámbrica sin contrato en la Isla.

4G LTE es la nueva tecnología de unificación mundial sobre 10 veces más rápida que otras redes. Es una tecnología de unificación mundial, donde el consumidor logra acceso a una red de transmisión de datos más poderosa.

Federico Grosso, recién nombrado COO y presidente de la empresa en Puerto Rico, explicó a EL VOCERO que el 2012 será un año de mucho crecimiento para la empresa, con la implementación de la nueva tecnología 4G LTE. “Estar en la vanguardia de la evolución de la banda ancha, significa que nuestros clientes en Puerto Rico serán los primeros en América Latina que se beneficien de esta nueva tecnología. Este es un paso clave para acercar a nuestros clientes a la mayor red de banda ancha móvil 4G LTE. Es trascendental para la compañía continuar evolucionando para que nuestros clientes disfruten de una posición privilegiada beneficiándose con la nueva tecnología”, señaló el ejecutivo.

Para Grosso, esta tecnología es el futuro de la industria donde eventualmente todas las proveedoras tendrán que estar si es que desean mantenerse relevantes y competitivas en favor de sus usuarios.

Este desarrollo, cuyo costo asciende a los $200 millones, comenzará por fases en la zona metropolitana y la parte este del País. Posteriormente, proyectan la expansión hacia las regiones norte y oeste, y para finales del 2012 o inicio del 2013 deberán acaparar todo el País.

Grosso aclaró que en la Isla existe una percepción errada en torno a la cobertura que ofrece Open Mobile, por lo que se hará una campaña agresiva. Aseguró que actualmente cuentan con 400 ‘sites’ de cobertura en todo el País.

Además del lanzamiento de la nueva tecnología, la empresa tiene en agenda la remodelación de varias de sus tiendas, que incluye Parque Escorial, la tienda del primer piso de Plaza Las Américas y la tienda de Ponce. El costo por tienda será de entre $350,000 hasta los $500,000.

Se informó que tienen en agenda la apertura de dos nuevas tiendas, una en Santa Isabel y para la otra todavía evalúan instalaciones.

Para fortalecer el ofrecimiento de equipos, para finales de año esperan contar con más de 18 nuevos productos, que garanticen una mejor experiencia en comunicación móvil con la tecnología LTE.

Con estas iniciativas, Open Mobile espera incrementar sus ventas en un 20% y elevar su posición en el mercado.

Por otra parte, la empresa anunció ayer la salida por asuntos personales de Frank Bell, pasado presidente de Open Mobile en la Isla, posición que ya ocupa Grosso.

Open Mobile, que opera únicamente en Puerto Rico, fue establecida el 12 de junio de 2007. La misma brinda servicios de comunicación inalámbrica a lo largo de toda la Isla, operando con 19 tiendas, dos kioscos para ventas y servicios y una cadena de distribución de canales indirectos de 180 puntos de distribución. Actualmente generan 565 empleos directos.

:banana:

Empresa puertorriqueña sííí´ˆí´ˆ´ˆ´êie

VELOCIDADES DE INTERNET POR EL MUNDO:

Estonia - (41.04 Mbps)
Lithuania - (32.86 Mbps)
South Korea - (32.36 Mbps)
Latvia - (26.03 Mbps)
Sweden - (25.53 Mbps)
Romania - (24.77 Mbps)
Netherlands - (24.58 Mbps)
Luxembourg - (22.97 Mbps)
Singapore - (22.84 Mbps)
Macau - (21.87 Mbps)
Bulgaria - (21.81 Mbps)
Iceland - (21.19 Mbps)
Switzerland - (19.81 Mbps)
Andorra - (19.61 Mbps)
Taiwan - (17.77 Mbps)
Denmark - (17.68 Mbps)
Belgium - (16.57 Mbps)
Finland - (16.46 Mbps)
Norway - (16.35 Mbps)
Aland Islands - (16.23 Mbps)
Portugal - (16.22 Mbps)
Malta - (15.98 Mbps)
Republic of Moldova - (15.45 Mbps)
Germany - (14.98 Mbps)
Czech Republic - (14.78 Mbps)
Ukraine - (14.64 Mbps)
Hungary - (14.42 Mbps)
Japan - (14.29 Mbps)
Slovakia - (13.84 Mbps)
France - (13.23 Mbps)
United States - (12.77 Mbps)
United Kingdom - (12.32 Mbps)
Canada - (12.21 Mbps)
Austria - (11.60 Mbps)
Monaco - (11.57 Mbps)
Russia - (11.50 Mbps)
Kyrgyzstan - (11.46 Mbps)
Spain - (11.11 Mbps)
Liechtenstein - (10.69 Mbps)
United Arab Emirates - (10.57 Mbps)
Australia - (10.20 Mbps)
Slovenia - (10.08 Mbps)
Faroe Islands - (9.92 Mbps)
Poland - (9.15 Mbps)
Isle of Man - (8.94 Mbps)
New Zealand – (8.69 Mbps)
Aruba - (8.66 Mbps)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon - (8.62 Mbps)
Ireland - (8.16 Mbps)
Grenada - (7.44 Mbps)
Mongolia - (7.41 Mbps)
Georgia - (7.40 Mbps)
Jersey - (7.36 Mbps)
Israel - (7.34 Mbps)
Vietnam - (7.34 Mbps)
Libya - (7.25 Mbps)
Chile - (7.22 Mbps)
China - (6.94 Mbps)
Guernsey - (6.90 Mbps)
Turkey - (6.84 Mbps)
Netherlands Antilles - (6.75 Mbps)
Trinidad and Tobago - (6.70 Mbps)
Macedonia - (6.69 Mbps)
Thailand - (6.52 Mbps)
Ghana - (6.43 Mbps)
New Caledonia - (6.43 Mbps)
Brazil - (5.96 Mbps)
Bahrain - (5.93 Mbps)
Greece - (5.91 Mbps)
San Marino - (5.90 Mbps)
Kazakstan - (5.59 Mbps)
Croatia - (4.93 Mbps)
Italy - (4.90 Mbps)
Saudi Arabia - (4.87 Mbps)
Rwanda - (4.81 Mbps)
Mexico - (4.69 Mbps)
Cyprus - (4.64 Mbps)
Kenya - (4.57 Mbps)
Angola - (4.53 Mbps)
Bermuda - (4.46 Mbps)
Papua New Guinea - (4.43 Mbps)
Jamaica - (4.09 Mbps)
Armenia - (4.08 Mbps)
Qatar - (4.05 Mbps)
Montenegro - (4.01 Mbps)
Gibraltar - (3.99 Mbps)
Argentina - (3.85 Mbps)
Serbia - (3.81 Mbps)
Guam - (3.73 Mbps)
Oman - (3.72 Mbps)
Cayman Islands - (3.70 Mbps)
Kuwait - (3.64 Mbps)
Dominica - (3.58 Mbps)
Malaysia - (3.52 Mbps)
Bahamas - (3.49 Mbps)
Puerto Rico - (3.41 Mbps)
Belarus - (3.38 Mbps)
Greenland - (3.27 Mbps)
Fiji - (3.25 Mbps)
Madagascar - (3.15 Mbps)
Colombia - (3.08 Mbps)
Saint Kitts and Nevis - (3.03 Mbps)
Antigua and Barbuda - (3.02 Mbps)
Nicaragua - (3.01 Mbps)
Bosnia and Herzegovina - (3.01 Mbps)
Albania - (2.94 Mbps)
South Africa - (2.87 Mbps)
Jordan - (2.83 Mbps)
Uruguay - (2.78 Mbps)
Martinique - (2.75 Mbps)
Azerbaijan - (2.74 Mbps)
Ecuador - (2.71 Mbps)
Honduras - (2.70 Mbps)
Morocco - (2.68 Mbps)
Panama - (2.63 Mbps)
Guadeloupe - (2.62 Mbps)
Zimbabwe - (2.60 Mbps)
El Salvador - (2.58 Mbps)
Barbados - (2.46 Mbps)
Turks and Caicos Islands - (2.40 Mbps)
Brunei Darussalam - (2.38 Mbps)
St. Vincent and Grenadines - (2.33 Mbps)
Nigeria - (2.32 Mbps)
Anguilla - (2.32 Mbps)
Saint Lucia - (2.32 Mbps)
Laos - (2.28 Mbps)
Costa Rica - (2.26 Mbps)
Tunisia - (2.25 Mbps)
Paraguay - (2.24 Mbps)
Guatemala (2.23 Mbps)
Virgin Islands, British - (2.23 Mbps)
Cambodia - (2.22 Mbps)
Maldives - (2.19 Mbps)
Sri Lanka - (2.16 Mbps)
Bhutan - (2.10 Mbps)
Mozambique - (2.00 Mbps)
India - (1.99 Mbps)
Tajikistan - (1.99 Mbps)
Dominican Republic - (1.91 Mbps)
Namibia - (1.85 Mbps)
Philippines - (1.82 Mbps)
Nepal - (1.69 Mbps)
Indonesia - (1.69 Mbps)
Virgin Islands, U.S. - (1.68 Mbps)
Peru - (1.63 Mbps)
Iraq - (1.59 Mbps)
Pakistan - (1.51 Mbps)
Swaziland - (1.50 Mbps)
Haiti - (1.41 Mbps)
Uzbekistan - (1.39 Mbps)
Egypt - (1.37 Mbps)
Syrian Arab Republic - (1.35 Mbps)
Zambia - (1.31 Mbps)
Venezuela - (1.31 Mbps)
Palestinian Territory - (1.27 Mbps)
Iran, Islamic Republic of - (1.25 Mbps)
Mauritius - (1.25 Mbps)
Tanzania - (1.24 Mbps)
Uganda - (1.16 Mbps)
Bangladesh - (1.11 Mbps)
Lebanon - (1.09 Mbps)
Belize - (1.07 Mbps)
Burkina Faso - (0.98 Mbps)
Algeria - (0.93 Mbps)
Reunion - (0.89 Mbps)
Afghanistan - (0.82 Mbps)
Malawi - (0.70 Mbps)
Mali - (0.68 Mbps)
Botswana - (0.66 Mbps)
Northern Mariana Islands - (0.66 Mbps)
Sudan - (0.64 Mbps)
Bolivia - (0.58 Mbps)
Cote D'Ivoire - (0.57 Mbps)
Lesotho - (0.42 Mbps)


PUERTO RICO OCUPA EL LUGAR 96 DE 174 EN EL MUNDO

Fuente: http://www.netindex.com/download/

Fajardo donde mas rapido esta el internet con 6.71 Mbps en promedio. Buena info.

Que velocidad les da aqui? http://www.att.com/speedtest/

^^5.70 Mbps

Ese site no parece tener información completa de Puerto Rico pues no aparece ninguno de los pueblos servidos por Choice Cable TV en el sur y oeste. La velocidad mínima de Choice es 12 Mbps lo que forzosamente pondría el promedio en un número similar o mayor ak de Fajardo en pueblos como Ponce y Mayagüez.

Esa página de AT&T me da 11.66 Mbps a esta hora.

Speedtest.net me da:

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1761112799.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

DirecTV investing $53M in network, products, services this year

Written by Michelle Kantrow (http://newsismybusiness.com/author/mkantrow/) // February 9, 2012 //


http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/527px-Directv_satellite_on_house_roof-263x300.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/527px-Directv_satellite_on_house_roof.jpg)
DirecTV will improve its infrastructure and enhance programming offered to island customers this year.

Satellite television provider DirecTV is looking to strengthen its leadership position in Puerto Rico through a $50 million investment in new projects during 2012.
The company, which has a 32 percent market share in the local satellite television market, will also expand its services infrastructure as part of its initiatives increase its client base by 10 percent this year, company officials said Thursday.
Recently appointed General Manager Thelma López, who is the first woman to fill the position since the company began its operations on the island in 1999 said “the key to our company’s success has been its advanced technology, innovative services and top-notch customer services.”
The executive added that the company will invest more than $53 million in several infrastructure projects, that include new technology, the opening of five new points of sale, customer service offices remodeling and enhancements to its vehicle fleet.
During 2011, DirecTV reinforced its customer service infrastructure through a series of projects that will continue on throughout 2012, including the remodeling of its Mayaguez regional office.
The company will also add five new points of sales that will be located at the facilities of Sam’s Club in Kennedy Avenue in San Juan, in Santurce’s commercial area, in Río Grande and Trujillo Alto.
The company will invest more than $1 million dollars in these projects that will create some 84 new jobs, which represents a 14.8 percent increase in its workforce.

New platform on the way

One of DirecTV’s flagship projects for this year will be the implementation of the new “Nexus” technology, which will enable subscriber to enjoy their favorite programming at any time in any room of the house, since it allows them to paused it and start it again in a different room.
The company will be investing $14.2 million in its new advanced technological platform, which will provide clients a better entertainment experience, as they will have access to more channels, both standard and High Definition (HD), as well as to more advanced technology and additional functions that will enhance ever more the already superior DirecTV experience.
Through the hefty investments, DirecTV is aiming to increase its existing 220,000 subscriber base by 10 percent this year, López said, noting the company has experienced a 6 percent growth in subscription in the last two years.

http://newsismybusiness.com/directv-investing-53m-in-network-products-services-this-year/

Con el link de Bori tengo 10.61 de DL y de UL tengo .45.

En el de Luis:
http://www.speedtest.net/result/1763136133.png (http://www.speedtest.net)
No se por qué pero con el server de Guaynabo era el más rapido.

:ohno: DMAX/Claro Internet se ha quedado atrás...

Aunque estoy conforme con mi velocidad. Me funciona rápido para lo que lo uso.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1763182389.png

Y BTW parece que hace par de meses se resolvió el problema que tenía que cuando tronaba o a veces que llovía se caía el internet.

:ohno: DMAX/Claro Internet se ha quedado atrás...

No kidding! :D

Yo no entiendo como Claro se atreve a cobrar los precios que cobra cuando Liberty y Choice ofrecen velocidades mucho más altas por los mismos precios. Lyberty está ofreciendo 30 Mbps y Choice está anunciando 50 Mbps aunque no dicen qué áreas.

DMAX más rápido que un cohete. Shhrrrrrrrrrrr!!!! Y se fue la conexión tan rápida que no se ve

Aveces hay mucha diferencia entre la velocidad de speedtest.net y la de att...

Aveces hay mucha diferencia entre la velocidad de speedtest.net y la de att...

Depende mucho de la ruta. Speedtest.net busca la ruta más corta mientras que la de AT&T debe ser siempre al mismo sitio.

La prueba más representativa es la que sea local para uno que no salga hacia el Internet. O sea la que sea del propio proveedor de uno. Los de aquí de PR tienen estas:

Choice: http://www.choicecable.com/myspeed
Liberty: http://www.libertypr.com/internet/speed_meter.aspx
OneLink: http://speedtestsanjuan.onelinkpr.com/
Claro (DMAX): http://speed1.prtc.net/

Sin embargo los de Choice te dicen que uses la de att mejor...

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1763603308.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

Hace mas de un mes que esta asi de lenta mi connexion, pero como el test de Choice dice que tengo los 12, pues no han hecho nada.

El test de Choice:

Download Speed: 12209 kbps (1526.1 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 488 kbps (61 KB/sec transfer rate)
Latency: 21 ms
Friday, February 10, 2012 1:42:43 AM

Y usando el test de http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ con el server de Atlanta:

Last Result:
Download Speed: 2900 kbps (362.5 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 481 kbps (60.1 KB/sec transfer rate)

Que te dice el de Liberty?

Liberty:

Download Speed: 2316 kbps (289.5 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 480 kbps (60 KB/sec transfer rate)
Latency: 81 ms
Friday, February 10, 2012 11:40:52 AM

=\

Usate el de att, los de Choice recomiendan ese mas que el de ellos mismos...

Según yo entiendo Liberty ya esta ofreciendo velocidad de intertnet en 16 con paquete de telefono, internet y cable

Esa lista esta atrasada o se refiere al average de la isla.

Hay velocidades mayores claro esta. Esa lista representa solo el promedio de las personas que han buscado la velocidad de sus respectivos servicios. Es obvio que actualmente el promedio de la isla debe ser mayor, nada mas considerando que todo el oeste tiene velocidades comenzando en los 12 mbps, aunque el resto de la isla no. Onelink continua con sus mediocres 4 mbps a un costo mayor y Liberty creo que sigue con 1 mbps como velocidad mas economica.

Ademas el internet via celular ha dado incrementos en la velocidad y todo eso ha sido reciente.

Es obvio que actualmente el promedio de la isla debe ser mayor, nada mas considerando que todo el oeste tiene velocidades comenzando en los 12 mbps, aunque el resto de la isla no.

A eso me refería en un mensaje anterior. En el mapa que sale en aquella página no sale ningún pueblo servido por Choice aunque en la lista de pueblos SI aparecen. Pero cuando buscan los detalles de esos pueblos solo aparece listado PRTC mientras que en los pueblos de Liberty aparecen tanto Liberty como PRTC y en los de Onelink aparece tanto Onelink como PRTC.

Usate el de att, los de Choice recomiendan ese mas que el de ellos mismos...

Eso está bien extraño considerando que la prueba de Choice es local. Aparte que a mí me da mejor resultado la de Choice que la de AT&T. La de Choice me da ping de 8ms y la próxima más cercana es la de Onelink con 38ms. La de AT&T en Estados Unidos debe estar rondando los 80 ms. Eso tiene algún efecto en la velocidad medida.

luis, la de att es local tambien, dicho por los empleados de Choice. A mi y a otras personas que conozco les da mejor con att, a ti te da mas bajito con att pero las veces que has puesto tu velocidad de speedtest sale mas rapida que la mia y que los que conozco que tienen Choice en Maya y Hormigueros.

11.34 Mbps segun la pagina de AT&T

Choice:

Download Speed: 12384 kbps (1548 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 483 kbps (60.4 KB/sec transfer rate)
Latency: 23 ms
Friday, February 10, 2012 9:55:51 PM

Liberty:

Download Speed: 3446 kbps (430.8 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 483 kbps (60.4 KB/sec transfer rate)
Latency: 83 ms
Friday, February 10, 2012 9:56:48 PM

Onelink:

Download Speed: 6938 kbps (867.3 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 486 kbps (60.8 KB/sec transfer rate)
Latency: 49 ms

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1765505214.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

Meh.

T-Mobile USA investing $4 Billion to deploy 4G LTE in U.S. Mainland & P.R.

Written by Michelle Kantrow (http://newsismybusiness.com/author/mkantrow/) // February 24, 2012

http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Jorge-Martel-Vicepresidente-y-Gerente-General-T-Mobile-300x200.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Jorge-Martel-Vicepresidente-y-Gerente-General-T-Mobile.jpg)
Jorge Martel, general manager of T-Mobile Puerto Rico

T-Mobile USA unveiled plans Thursday to spend $4 billion — almost the same amount it collected from the failed merger with AT&T last year — to modernize its network through the deployment of 4G Long-Term Evolution technology nationwide including Puerto Rico in 2013.
Once completed, the nation’s fourth-largest wireless carrier hopes that through a combination of faster speeds and a broader variety of LTE-capable devices, it will be able to put a plug on the customer drain it has experienced in the last year.
T-Mobile USA lost 1.65 million contract subscribers in 2011, half of that in the final quarter alone when Verizon Wireless and AT&T Inc. started carrying Apple Inc.’s iPhone 4S, Bloomberg reported.
The carrier’s strategy calls for installing new transmission equipment in its 37,000 cell towers and “re-farming” the additional spectrum T-Mobile will receive as a result of the termination of the AT&T transaction, Jorge Martel, general manager for T-Mobile Puerto Rico, told News is my Business.
While his higher-ups did not provide specific dates as to when the network modernization will begin, Martel expressed confidence that “Puerto Rico will probably be among the first markets” where the upgrades will take place.
“Right now, the HSPA+ network we’ve deployed in Puerto Rico is about the best there is to offer,” he said. “We’re almost finished with our network conversion to HSPA+42, with just the central portion of the island remaining to be done. We’re also always considering the possibility of continuing to expand our network in general.”
Since October 2010, T-Mobile has pumped $75 million into islandwide network improvements.
This year’s planned investment figure was not readily available Thursday, but the executive said the carrier will maintain its “accelerated investment rhythm this year, and Puerto Rico remains one of the markets where T-Mobile invests the most.”
Meanwhile, Martel said the timing for T-Mobile’s planned 4G LTE launching in a year or so “will be ideal because there will be a greater variety of LTE-ready devices than there are now, which will definitely benefit consumers.”

Complete “180”
The announcement by T-Mobile’s parent, Deutsche Telecom, is a complete turnaround from the stern warning issued last year that it would not be spending any more money on its stateside operation as it pursued selling those assets to rival AT&T.
But the plan now is to reposition the company and make it more competitive by making it able to offer higher-speed services to keep up with growing consumer demand for smartphones and tablet computers.
“The $4 billion go-it-alone investment plan is an extremely strong one that can reposition the brand and the business,” Neville Ray, T-Mobile USA’s chief technology officer, said in an interview cited by Bloomberg.
Coupled with the announced network overhaul plans, T-Mobile added another smartphone to its portfolio, the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G. T-Mobile’s newest 4G smartphone offers a variety of features and applications to help consumers be entertained and have access to the information they need when they need it.
The handset brings a slew of pre-installed features that coupled with its SnapdragonS3 processor by Qualcommwith 1.5 GHz dual-core CPUs and 3.97-inch Super AMOLED touch screen, makes “it easy for consumers to enjoy the benefits of 4G experiences at a price they can afford,” said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president, marketing, T-Mobile USA.


http://newsismybusiness.com/t-mobile-usa-investing-4b-to-deploy-4g-lte-in-u-s-p-r/

BYE BYE Centennial. Fuiste buena compañía mientras te tuvimos.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k30/luisrp/SkycraperCity/IMG_4482Custom.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k30/luisrp/SkycraperCity/IMG_4483Custom.jpg


Ya hace un mes que migré mi cuenta y el 28 de febrero era que se terminaba el servicio pero los radios todavía están funcionando. Al rato que tomé la segunda foto el teléfono logró conseguir señal pero ya ni las llamadas al 611 pasan. Pensaba que iba a entrar en roaming con Sprint o Open Mobile que usan CDMA pero no lo hizo.

Está apareciendo un servidor nuevo en Speedtest.net localizado en Manatí que está dañando los resultados de las pruebas de velocidad. Si uno está en Choice o Liberty y el servidor más cercano es el de Manatí no va a dar un resultado real. Vean estos resultados de pruebas hechas una detrás de la otra.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1811300034.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1811297075.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

PRIDCO assigns $1.6M to Inteco’s broadband development project

Written by Michelle Kantrow (http://newsismybusiness.com/author/mkantrow/) // March 12, 2012 // Telecommunications/Technology (http://newsismybusiness.com/category/telecommunications-technology/)

http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/logo-inteco-2-300x193.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/logo-inteco-2.jpeg)

The Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company’s board approved a $1.6 million assignment to the Central Eastern Technological Initiative, to match federal funding granted by the U.S. National Telecommunication and Information Administration to expand broadband access to economically disadvantaged communities in the region, Economic Development and Commerce José Pérez-Riera, who also heads Pridco, said Monday.
Inteco, as the multi-town initiative based in Caguas is known, will use the funding to move its $16.3 million, 515-mile broadband network project announced (http://newsismybusiness.com/inteco-unveils-16-3m-broadband-project-for-central-eastern-region/) late last year that will connect more than 250 institutions — schools, universities, hospitals, municipal agencies, and police stations, among others — in the region.
“Through this funding assignment, Pridco, facilitates the development of an advanced telecommunications infrastructure, so that citizens of the Eastern Central region have the best access to the Internet quickly and securely,” said Pérez-Riera.
The project will eventually provide access to high-speed Internet access at affordable rates to region residents, including 600 businesses and industrial centers, 136,000 homes and 450,000 residents, by allowing ISPs to connect to the project’s open network. The ambitious broadband project also calls for establishing free Wi-Fi zones to promote Internet use among youth and economically disadvantaged adults.
Developing the extensive network has been a three-year undertaking that has received $12.9 million through a grant (http://www2.ntia.doc.gov/grantees/INTECO) from the NTIA in February 2010 and $3.4 million in local investment, plus Pridco’s contribution.
“On behalf of our Board of Directors and our partners, we thank PRIDCO,” said Inteco Executive Director Oscar Jiménez. “Broadband infrastructure is critical for the Central Eastern region as it covers all areas of services to citizens, businesses and industrial sites, and will certainly result in an increase in the rate of economic growth.”
Inteco will begin constructing the first towers to activate the network in two zones this summer.


http://newsismybusiness.com/pridco-assigns-1-6m-to-intecos-broadband-development-project/

P.R. consumers click their way into saving millions with ‘group coupons’

Written by Michelle Kantrow (http://newsismybusiness.com/author/mkantrow/) // March 12, 2012 // General Biz News (http://newsismybusiness.com/category/general/)

http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/groupcoupon-300x176.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/groupcoupon.jpg)

Puerto Rico's online discount certificate industry is in the early stage of development, but is finding its place among consumers.

It’s no big secret that Puerto Ricans have changed their shopping habits in the wake of the tough economic times experienced in the last six years.
So much so that using what was once taboo, a discount coupon, is becoming a daily occurrence due in part to the proliferation of online companies dedicated to offering everything from a manicure to furniture cleaning services at a fraction of their regular cost.
In the last year, local consumers have clicked their way into saving millions by responding to the variety of offers emailed to them every day slashing prices of products or services by between 50 percent and 80 percent.
At last count, there were several dozen such companies serving the Puerto Rico market. But the biggest, Gustazos and Groupon, are locking down their permanence by appealing to a broad range of tastes and needs, while keeping up with technology.
“In theory, this business is easy to replicate, but in practice, it requires strength in several areas: marketing, human resources and financial resources,” said José Carlos Villares, president of Gustazos (http://www.gustazos.com/), which as of Sunday had sold more than 135,000 offers, representing more than $8.1 million in savings for its clients.
The native company, which started with no money in March 2011, has grown exponentially in the last year, reaching sales figures Villares said were expected to occur in December 2013.

http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/gustazos01-300x254.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/gustazos01.jpg)
José Carlos Villares, president of Gustazos (Credit: © Mauricio Pascual)

“There has been an overwhelming acceptance in the Puerto Rico market. One thing we did differently from the start was to avoid making this service about selling coupons. We decided not to even use the word in our service, instead becoming an online option for people with greater buying power to find fun things to do in Puerto Rico,” Villares said.
Gustazos’ portfolio of offers has included everything from a discounted visit to high-end beauty salons to markdowns in hotel stays throughout the island, and most recently, the Dominican Republic.
The neighboring island nation and Miami are next on the radar for Gustazos, which plans to open offices in each market in coming months, Villares said. The company already employs 40 people.
To take part in the discounts, customers must buy into the offer and pay for the service either through debit or credit card. Next, they print and present the certificate to the participating merchant to redeem their benefit.

Breaking ground

One of the island’s online discount industry pioneers is Yupiti.com, which began testing the waters in November 2010. Two months later, after some tweaking, the company (http://www.yupiti.com/) took the market head-on, betting on the fact that “locals like to have a good time,” said Co-founder César Lebrón.
“We saw an opportunity in this because people in Puerto Rico like to party. They like good food and good things and given that the economy is shaky right now, offering a good service at a savings is always a good thing,” he said.
So far, offers sold through Yupiti’s online business have saved clients some $200,000. But not everything is always rosy, he said.
Online discount companies make their money by presenting to potential client companies the opportunity to sell their goods or services at a discount, with no out-of-pocket expense. The ultimate goal is to attract new — and hopefully recurring — customers to their establishment. The revenue made from the discount offers is split 50-50 between the online business and the brick-and-mortar operation.

http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/yupiti01-198x300.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/yupiti01.jpg)
Yupiti Co-founder César Lebrón (Credit: © Mauricio Pascual)

“The truth is that there is a war out there in terms of sales. Just as soon as I publish an offer, that same day, one of the other companies is picking up the phone to present what they have to that client that has sold their service through us,” he said. “Not only is there cannibalism among us, but among the companies as well.”
Still, he said, “The fact is that this business will continue to grow in Puerto Rico and the rest of the world because people are getting used to it and are seeking out discounts. I think every restaurant and business will have to turn to one of these offers at some point.”
To participate in this business model, client companies must be prepared to provide the product or service offered — and do it well — to have any hope of nabbing a repeat customer. In many cases, bargain-hunting consumers take advantage of the discount offer once and do not return unless another particular deal is available.

Avoiding the ‘coupon’ taboo

Perhaps one of the keys to the success these companies have achieved thus far is that they have replaced the word “coupon” — which has long been taboo among local consumers — with the term “offer.” In the case of Gustazos, it launches discount offers that can be purchased and used immediately, pulling away from the general premise used by some competitors requiring a minimum number of purchases before activating the offer.
That latter practice, known as offering a “group coupon,” can be traced back to one of the industry’s pioneers, Groupon, which launched its deal-of-the-day service in San Juan in May 2011.
“What we’re interested in doing is delivering happy experiences to our clients,” said Felipe Lyon, Country Manager for Groupon Puerto Rico (http://www.groupon.com.pr/). “We believe the Puerto Rico market still has many areas to explore and we find it interesting that there are companies that can meet diverse customer demands.”

http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Groupon-Logo1-300x132.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Groupon-Logo1.jpg)

Because it is a publicly traded company, local Groupon executives could not disclose its local business volume thus far. However, as of October 2010, Groupon serves more than 150 markets in North America and 100 markets in Europe, Asia and South America and has amassed 35 million registered users.
While its experience is global, Lyon said Puerto Rico consumers show similar habits to those of other countries.
“Everywhere, people like to go out to eat, dance and discover new places and we want to be the means by which they can do it, by spending less and enjoying more,” said Lyon, adding that the industry is expected to continue the local growth pattern shown thus far.

Long list of players

The group coupon industry comprises dozens of other competitors, including Groopanda (http://www.groopanda.com/), peroquedescuentos.com (http://www.peroquedescuentos.com/), puertoricolike.com (http://www.puertoricolike.com/), and recently launched myGOODdeal.org (http://www.mygooddeal.org/), whose marketing premise is somewhat different from its peers in that it allocates 20 percent of its sales to benefit a local nonprofit organization.
Under its slogan of “a weekly offer, a weekly cause, unlimited benefit,” myGOODdeal.org so far has benefited the Ricky Martin Foundation, Sapientis, Amigos de los Animales, and the Puerto Rico Community Foundation.
Another company that has worked on hitting a niche is Bocarella, whose product offer targets professional, working women, said Roberto Toledo, president and founder.
“We want to become that point of reference for the Latino, female market by offering products and services that make sense to them,” he said. While Bocarella’s offers are marketed similar to how the others do it, the products offered have a feminine feel.

http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/bocarellaLOGO-11-300x102.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/bocarellaLOGO-11.jpg)

Bocarella (http://www.bocarella.com/) is one of several services that has coupled discount offers with editorial content, “because our focus is to expand that vision of reaching women, not just through the offer but through an online publication that speaks to them about trends in fashion, health and gastronomy,” Toledo said.
On that same note, the island’s two largest Spanish-language daily newspapers have also seen the potential of the group coupon market, launching websites of their own. While the Ferré-Rangel family — owners of the El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora dailies — launched shop.pr last year, competing publisher El Vocero soon followed with sale.com, described as “an online shopping community bringing you savings with style.”
Another relative newcomer, Kiero Kiero (http://www.kierokiero.com/), launched its service in September 2011. While it started out strong, it has since faced a number of challenges that have set back its momentum, said Liani Castro, who developed and runs the business.
“The truth is that this operation is a one-woman-show and our challenge has been to find people to establish a strong sales team,” she said. “There are more offers popping up every day and because we’ve been well-received, we want to move forward with getting that team in place.”
In the six months since entering the market, Kiero Kiero has sold more than 1,400 discount certificates representing $34,000 in savings for customers, she said.
“This is something that is offer-driven. If you have that, and a good user base, it can be successful,” Castro said. “Puerto Rico is a small market, but it consumes a lot.”


http://newsismybusiness.com/group-coupon-industry-gaining-ground-in-p-r-as-customers-save-millions/

AEMEAD insta a las compañías de celulares a participar en LANTEX 2012

Viernes,23 marzo 2012
www.elsuralavista.com


San Juan- El director ejecutivo de la Agencia Estatal para el Manejo de Emergencias y Administración de Desastres (AEMEAD), Heriberto Saurí instó a las compañías de celulares a participar del ejercicio LANTEX 2012, ya que han tenido suficiente tiempo para prepararse, luego de que el año pasado fueron muy pocas las compañías que pasaron mensajes de texto como prueba.
Saurí, urgió la cooperación de este sector “para lograr que el ejercicio sea efectivo. Las compañías celulares son un complemento del gobierno al momento de enviar un mensaje de emergencia a través de textos”.
“Contrario al año anterior en que la participación de las compañías de celulares fue muy pobre, este año Open Mobile aseguró estar lista para pasar los mensajes de texto durante el ejercicio LANTEX que se efectuará el miércoles, 28 de marzo cuando se activará el sistema de alerta de emergencia a las 9:05 de la mañana”, sostuvo Saurí.
Asimismo, el titular de la Agencia destacó “es hora de que recibamos el mismo trato que reciben los ciudadanos en los Estados Unidos en caso de una emergencia en que las compañías celulares norteamericanas envían avisos a través de mensajes de texto”.
“Exhortamos a las demás compañías que se unan a este esfuerzo y cooperen no sólo con este ejercicio, sino cuando ocurra una emergencia que requiera del servicio de texto para notificar a la ciudadanía de que en efecto nos encontramos ante una emergencia de mayor escala”, puntualizó Saurí.


http://www.elsuralavista.com/periodico/?p=45960

Municipalities slow to accept Internet gift

By John McPhaul
Of the Daily Sun staff

Despite the importance of technological development to the economic future of the island, the great majority of mayors in Puerto Rico are dragging their feet in accepting a gift from the island’s Telecommunications Regulations Board of free Internet centers and Wi-Fi (wireless Internet access), said Sandra Torres, the board’s president.
The problem appears to be a lack of vision of many of the island’s mayors, said Torres.
“The mayors do not act rapidly, not even giving them something for free,” she said. “This has been like a plea on our part.”
Conscious of the value of broadening Internet access to Puerto Rico’s economic development, the Legislative Assembly passed Law 101 in July of 2010 to provide each municipality with an Internet center where the public can go online free and use Wi-Fi (wireless Internet access) in every public central plaza on the island.
In order to close the “digital divide” between low-income families and families who can afford Internet service in the home, the law intends to extend easy Internet access to every corner of the island.
“Unfortunately, in Puerto Rico many families, especially those of scarce economic resources, don’t have the necessary capital to afford the provision of technology or information equipment in their homes,” the law states.
The penetration of the Internet in Puerto Rico at 35 percent lags well behind the United States at 70 percent and some European countries which have up to 90 percent, said Torres
The Telecommunications Regulations Board earmarked $3 million for the purpose of preparing and equipping the centers and providing the Wi-Fi, giving the board $40,000 to $45,000 dollars per municipality, said Torres.
The only thing that the municipalities have to do is to provide space for the Internet center with water, lights and bathrooms, she said.
Administration of the centers would initially fall on the municipalities to later be handed over to nonprofit organizations.
The board provides everything else for the center: a minimum of 10 computers (depending on the population of the municipality) equipped with content filters, printers, security cameras, furniture and materials for small repairs; and for the Wi-Fi: wireless Internet antennae and content filter.
The board even provides model letters which municipalities can use to request the service.
“If they have problems with the paint, we will paint the center. If they have electrical problems, we’ll send an electrician. If they have problems with cement we’ll send a contractor,” said Torres. “I don’t know what else they want. The issue with them is a lack of interest.”
Torres noted that the Wi-Fi would cover areas in the close vicinity of the public plazas in addition to the plaza themselves, posing the possibility of creating businesses which cater to laptop-carrying students and professionals in a manner done with great success by Starbucks.
Meanwhile the mayors, it appears, are stuck in the last century.
“There are mayors who send everything by fax. They refuse to use technology,” said Torres. “They don’t see the opportunity they have for their constituents and for themselves in the use of technology.”
The municipalities which currently have Internet centers are Moca, Toa Alta, San Sebastian, Manati, Aguada and Gurabo.
The center in Loiza is ready for inauguration.
The rest of the municipalities are in at various stage of the process of fixing up centers, installing the Internet and choosing the locale of the centers, among others.
The sluggishness of the mayors contrasts with the advance the central government in providing Internet access to various commonwealth agencies.
On the Internet citizens can look up tax debts, pay taxes, obtain birth certificates, obtain penal records and pay water and electric bills, among other services.

http://www.prdailysun.com/news/Municipalities-slow-to-accept-Internet-gift

En Juana Díaz hace poco abrieron uno de esos sitios públicos en uno de los barrios. Y en la plaza hay Wi-Fi hace tiempo aunque no necesariamente gratis porque aparenta ser un hot spot de Claro. Lo he usado con mi user y password de mi cuenta de Dmax que hace casi dos años di de baja pero que todavia el e-mail y el user funcionan para dial-up.

Los hot-spot de Claro Wi-Fi son gratis. Cuando los uso, me registro, me invento el nombre, el email y el número, y lo uso como si nada.

WEF: Puerto Rico 2nd ‘most connected’ Jurisdiction in Latin America, Caribbean

Written by Michelle Kantrow (http://newsismybusiness.com/author/mkantrow/) // April 4, 2012 // Telecommunications/Technology (http://newsismybusiness.com/category/telecommunications-technology/) //

http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/wef-300x210.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/wef.jpg)
The Global Information Technology Report 2012 released Wednesday shows Puerto Rico's digital divide problem.

In the most recent Global Information Technology Report released Wednesday, Puerto Rico ranked second among the region’s most connected jurisdictions, behind only Barbados. However, the island ranks 36th in the world in terms of connectivity, which still denotes the persistence of a significant digital divide.
The GITR is produced by the World Economic Forum annually to evaluate the status of information technology advances in developed countries and their direct impact on the economy.
The 11th edition of the study measured technological use in 142 countries & territories, which placed Puerto Rico in the top third tier of the group. However, the island is still significantly behind the mainland United States, which landed in the 8th position.
The report stated that although the island enjoys a robust information and communications technologies infrastructure and identifies the private sector main driver of these technologies is, the public sector could have a more prominent role in catalyzing the sector as a purchaser of computer technologies and communications.
Puerto Rico, which seeks to become a knowledge-driven economy, can improve its innovation potential medium to long term by increasing the level of achievement in science and mathematics in the public education system to expand broadband coverage in several regions of the island to build an inclusive information society through the intense adoption of information and communications technologies as the foundation for sustainable development, social welfare and economic growth, the study pointed out.
This year, Sweden and Singapore topped the report’s ranking, taking the most advantage of technology and maximizing the economic and social multiplier effect, the GITR said.

“Over the past decade, the world has become increasingly hyperconnected. We live in an environment where the Internet and its associated services are accessible and immediate, where people and businesses can communicate with each other instantly, and where machines are equally interconnected with each other,” the study stated.
“This hyperconnectivity is deeply redefining relationships between individuals, consumers and enterprises, and citizens and governments; it is introducing new opportunities but also new challenges and risks in terms of individual rights and privacy, security, cybercrime, the flow of personal data, and access to information,” the report further noted. “As a result, our economies and societies will undergo fundamental transformations.”
The global firm pointed out that Latin America and the Caribbean continues to suffer from an important lag in adopting information and communications technologies more broadly, which is reflected in the rankings.
“No country manages to reach the top 30 and only a handful of small economies manage to be included among the top 50 — the exceptions are Barbados, Puerto Rico, Chile, and Uruguay,” the study pointed out.
While the region is culturally and economically different, the GITR listed three common denominators accountable for the lag: an insufficient investment in developing the information and communications technology infrastructure; a weak skill base in the population, the result of poor educational systems that hinder society’s capacity to make an effective use of these technologies; and unfavorable business conditions that do not support the spur of entrepreneurship and innovation.
“Addressing these weaknesses will be crucial for improving the region’s competitiveness and shifting its economies toward more knowledge-based activities,” the GITR said.
The ranking showed that while Puerto Rico is included among the world’s advanced economies, there is still work to be done on the government’s part to fuel the growth and use of technology.


http://newsismybusiness.com/wef-p-r-2nd-most-connected-nation-in-latam-caribbean/

The center in Loiza is ready for inauguration.


:wtf:

A message to Ms. Torres from the IT Manager of Municipality of Loiza (a.k.a. Me):

The server that the company installed is still waiting because of an error with the antenna. Also, we're waiting on Claro to send us the modem to activate the Internet service for the line we requested on... November 2011! :bash:

Puerto Rico segundo país más conectado en América Latina, según estudio (http://www.primerahora.com/puertoricosegundopaismasconectadoenamericalatinasegunestudio-632279.html)
En el caso de Puerto Rico, el informe expone que aunque la Isla goza de una infraestructura robusta de TIC e indica que el principal propulsor de dichas tecnologías es el sector privado, el sector público pudiera tener un rol más prominente catalizando el sector como comprador de las tecnologías de informática y comunicaciones.
miércoles, 4 de abril de 2012
Actualizado hace 10 horas
(creado 11:02 a.m.)
Primera Hora

Puerto Rico es el segundo país más conectado tecnológicamente de la América Latina, según los resultados del Informe Global sobre Tecnología de la Información 2012 (Global Information Technology Report) del Foro Económico Mundial (World Economic Forum, WEF por sus siglas en inglés), indicó la organización en un comunicado.

El informe (GITR, por sus siglas en inglés) expone la existencia de una brecha digital entre los países más industrializados y el resto de las naciones del mundo. Las posiciones más altas del informe son ocupadas por los países nórdicos y las potencias industriales occidentales. La edición de 2012 recalca el ambiente existente de “híper-conexión” virtualmente instantánea disponible a nivel individual y a empresas a nivel mundial.

Este año, Suecia (1) y Singapur (2) encabezan los rangos del informe maximizando el efecto multiplicador económico y social de las tecnologías de información para avanzar el potencial competitivo y capacidad de innovación de sus países. Dinamarca (4), Suiza (5), Holanda (6), Finlandia (7), los Estados Unidos (8), Canadá (9) y el Reino Unido (10) muestran un buen desempeño en los primeros 10 puestos del informe.


Barbados (35), Puerto Rico (36) y Chile (39) continúan liderando a América Latina y el Caribe en los “rankings” del Índice de Disponibilidad de Red del informe; Panamá, en el puesto 57, avanza tres posiciones mientras Brasil (65) desciende nueve posiciones; sin embargo, gran parte de la región se encuentra atrasada en cuanto a las mejores prácticas internacionales de aprovechamiento de las TIC. China e India ocupan las posiciones 51 y 65, respectivamente.

En el caso de Puerto Rico, el informe expone que aunque la Isla goza de una infraestructura robusta de TIC e indica que el principal propulsor de dichas tecnologías es el sector privado, el sector público pudiera tener un rol más prominente catalizando el sector como comprador de las tecnologías de informática y comunicaciones. “Puerto Rico, que busca convertirse en una economía impulsada por el conocimiento, puede mejorar su potencial de innovación a mediano y largo plazo al aumentar el nivel de aprovechamiento en las ciencias y las matemáticas en el sistema de educación público y expandir la cobertura de banda ancha en varias regiones de la Isla”, indica el comunicado.

Aumenta índice de Puerto Rico en informe tecnológico

La competitividad tecnológica de Puerto Rico continuó en aumento, según el Informe de Competitividad Global de Tecnología de Información que publicó el pasado 4 de abril el Foro Económico Mundial y donde Puerto Rico escaló de la posición 43 a la 36 en el “Networked Readiness Index” contenido en el informe, marcando así el segundo aumento consecutivo de calificación para la Isla en los pasados dos años. Así lo dejó saber el secretario del Departamento de Desarrollo Económico y Comercio (DDEC), José Pérez-Riera informe, quien destacó que “en el último informe de competitividad global ocupamos la posición 35 entre 142 países, luego de una mejoría de seis escalafones. También en el último de Viajes y Turismo estuvimos 45 de 139, luego de un crecimiento de ocho escalafones y ahora en el informe de abril del 2012, de Tecnología e información el 36 de 142, luego de una mejoría de siete escalafones. Todos estos números han sido la posición más alta que ha alcanzado Puerto Rico en este informe. Definitivamente el crecimiento en estos tres renglones reafirman la acertada implantación de las iniciativas que son parte del Modelo Estratégico para una Nueva Economía”.

Dicho informe, que es considerado como uno de los más abarcadores y de mayor autoridad en el mundo, analiza el efecto del desarrollo de la tecnología de comunicación e información en los procesos de desarrollo y la competitividad de 142 países que, a su vez, representan más del 98 por ciento del Producto Interno Bruto global. El “Networked Readiness Index” examina tres dimensiones de la preparación tecnológica de los países: el sector de negocios en general, el ambiente de infraestructura reglamentaria y gubernamental y la preparación de la sociedad para utilizar y beneficiarse de la tecnología de información. El funcionario añadió que “está comprobado que los países que obtienen las posiciones más altas en este índice tienen también las economías más desarrolladas, por lo que continuamos enfocados en impulsar el sector tecnológico de Puerto Rico como motor de desarrollo económico”.

Por su parte, el “Chief Information Officer” (CIO) del Gobierno de Puerto Rico, Juan Rodríguez de Hostos, interpretó el aumento como una señal inequívoca de que los esfuerzos de la presente administración para adoptar la tecnología están dando resultados positivos. “Este Gobierno reconoció desde un principio en los sistemas de información una herramienta poderosa para mejorar la calidad de los servicios a la ciudadanía y aumentar el acceso de la población a conexiones de Internet de alta velocidad”, dijo Rodríguez de Hostos.

FUENTE: http://www.vocero.com/aumenta-indice-de-puerto-rico-en-informe-tecnologico/

Bills aim to plug cyber crime in PR

By : EVA LLORENS
eval@caribbeanbusinesspr.com

http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/fotos/cybercrime.jpg

New Progressive Party Rep. José Aponte has introduced legislation to beef up the investigation of cyber crimes in Puerto Rico. Cyber crimes, such as identity theft and theft of data, have surged in Puerto Rico over the past few years as Internet use has soared.
The bills include a measure to create the island's first cyber crime laboratory to allow local law enforcement to analyze electronic evidence. Aponte said that during a recent cyber crime symposium, the lack of such a laboratory was cited as a serious hurdle to cyber crime investigations.
Another bill would solidify the cyber crime investigations unit launched at the local Justice Department last month. The unit was created through an executive order.
"With the presentation of these measures, and the creation of an exclusive laboratory to detect cyber crimes, we will facilitate investigations," Aponte said Wednesday.
The laboratory, which would be part of the Justice Department, would be in charge of compiling, extracting, preserving and analyzing all evidence involving cyber crimes.
Of the 449 cases investigated by the Police Department's cyber crimes unit, only 27 were submitted for forensic analysis.
Aponte said he will introduce another bill in the coming weeks to establish rules and protocol on how to retrieve electronic information. He noted that one of the concerns raised by law enforcement is that servers or Internet providers do not store for a long time the backgrounds of electronic addresses, known as Internet Protocol or IP, which can help identify the source of a malware.


http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=70306&ct_id=1&ct_name=1

Puerto Rico jumps in connectivity survey

April 18, 2012

By John McPhaul
Of the Daily Sun staff

The World Economic Forum’s Network Readiness Index measuring citizens’ access to digital technology now places Puerto Rico 36th among 142 nations, jumping 11 places since 2011, said Telecommunications Regulations Board President Sandra Torres Tuesday.
“Placing ourselves in this position number 36 means that we have advanced considerably in one year because improving from 47th to 36th position shows that we have penetrated in terms of the Internet,” said Torres.
The index also places Puerto Rico number two in the Caribbean behind Barbados.
The World Economic Forum’s Global Report on Information Technology said that in the case of Puerto Rico, the private sector has been the main motor of development of Information and Communication Technology and noted that the public sector could play a greater role in its expansion.
To that end, Torres, along with New Progressive Party Sen. Lornna Soto and Loíza Mayor Eddie Manso inaugurated the town’s Internet computer center and WiFi (wireless Internet)-equipped central park.
Creating Internet computer centers and WiFi central parks in all of Puerto Rico’s 78 municipalities is part of a $3 million program to close Puerto Rico’s digital divide, providing Internet access to broader sectors of Puerto Rican society.
Municipalities have been slow to take up the Telecommunications Regulations Board on its offer of the free service which has been available since the Legislative Assembly passed Law 101 in July 2010 to provide each municipality with an Internet Center and WiFi in each central plaza, said Torres.
Loíza became the eighth municipality to have its own Internet computer center and only the second with a WiFi-equipped central park (after Ponce) after the officials inaugurated the services on Tuesday.
Manso said he hopes the new services will be especially useful to the young people in the town.
“It’s an opportunity that we are giving to our young people to improve their education and quality of life,” said Manso.
Soto, who sponsored Law 101, said the next step will be create ordinances that allow the creation of small businesses within the confines of the parks.
Nearby businesses will also benefit from the WiFi “footprint,” noted Soto.
On Tuesday, high school students from nearby Nuestra Escuela were on hand to inaugurate the WiFi service.
Ten laptop computers were placed on tables in the town’s central square and the students made themselves busy visiting their favorite web sites.
“We’ll be able to do our homework here,” said Victor Mercado, 18.
Many of the students, like Mercado, were accessing Facebook accounts.
“This will give us something to keep us off the streets,” said Héctor David Figueroa, 17. “Now we don’t have an excuse to say we don’t have access to the Internet.”
In a press release issued last week jointly by the World Economic Forum and the Puerto Rico Institute of International Competitiveness noted that Puerto Rico seeks to become a knowledge-based economy by improving its potential for innovation in the medium and long range and by improving math and sciences in local public schools and by increasing its access to broadband computer access.
Technicians liken broadband computer access to a water hose which can expand to increase the flow of information.
Torres said that in May, members of the Puerto Rican government’s information technology task force will pay a visit to Washington to explore ways to take advantage of federal incentives to expand the island’s broadband access.
Federal laws passed under the Obama Administration aim to increase bandwidth to the point where all services, television, telephones and Internet services are all accessible through the Internet, noted Torres.
This goal will likely not be achieved until the year 2020, she said.
The task force will visit federal agencies in charge of providing funds to help Puerto Rico keep up with the rapidly changing digital environment.

http://www.prdailysun.com/news/Puerto-Rico-jumps-in-connectivity-survey

Jaykar, he puesto la noticia en este hilo pero no estoy seguro si deber ser aquí. Me ha parecido interesante el "website" pues aquí en Polonia tenemos uno creado con un formato muy parecido que goza de mucha popularidad.

BoricuaMundo.com could evolve the Puerto Rican Economy and Infrastructure
April 17, 2012

http://rushprnews.com/img/posts_main/11319/587dbe9609a44823add64d71cbb8b0cbb761d902.jpg
Clasificados En Puerto Rico Nunca Serán Lo Mismo

SAN JUAN, PR (RPRN) 04/17/12 — The Puerto Rican economy and infrastructure are amongst the weakest of all American states and territories, but maybe not for long. Puerto Rican entrepreneur, Arturo Jimenez has launched a state of the art classifieds website, BoricuaMundo.com that could evolve the Puerto Rican economy and infrastructure, creating thousands of jobs and bringing billions of dollars into the island. Over the next year, Arturo Jimenez will launch over ten innovative companies from BoricuaMundo.com that may stimulate the economy like never before.

It all begins with BoricuaMundo.com, a classifieds website like no other. A few key features of this website include:

1. Advanced categorization system which makes it easy for users to find exactly what they need.

2. Profile system with a virtual store where Puerto Ricans can display all their products and services in one place.

3. Feedback and comment system which makes it easy to find the most reputable vendors and services.

4. Users can upload up to 3 photos and 2 videos, free in every ad.

5. Ad management system so users can edit, remove and repost ads.

Arturo Jimenez, President of BoricuaMundo.com, said: “This website is the revolution of classifieds in Puerto Rico and the beginning of a movement that will bring billions of dollars into the Puerto Rican economy and make our country one of the most successful on the planet. There is so much opportunity here that no one has taken advantage of.” When asked about the future of Puerto Rico, he replied “The sky is the limit for Puerto Rico. With the profit my companies will bring into the island; we can do anything.”

About BoricuaMundo.com

Boricua Mundo, Inc. is the revolution of classifieds in Puerto Rico. It is the super portal where Puerto Ricans can buy, sell and advertise anything, with photos and videos, absolutely free. The company’s founder, Arturo Jimenez, built the website as a tool for Puerto Rican economic growth. For more information, please call (787) 910-7494 or visit www.BoricuaMundo.com.

http://rushprnews.com/2012/04/17/boricuamundocom-could-evolve-the-puerto-rican-economy-and-infrastructure

Telephone fraud becomes more sophisticated

April 19, 2012

By Nindirí Méndez
NotiCel.com

Phone fraud continues to be rampant and is becoming more sophisticated, while authorities avoid investigations, hardly ever present cases, and are waiting for a law yet to be signed and that is under fire by the cell phone industry.
One of the recent cases was reported by Luis Ortiz, resident of Hato Rey, who was phoned by attorney José Oquendo Rivera to inform him that, as part of a contest in the program Day to Day with Raymond and Dagmar, he had won a Toyota Camry courtesy of car “dealer” Pepe Abad.
“The call was from a (939) 332- 9924 at around two in the afternoon. He called me by my name and told me that the sponsors of the program had contacted the phone providers for the list of numbers and that my name had come out in the drawing”, Ortíz told NotiCel.
Ortiz indicated that his caller was “loquacious, proper, and utilized a formal tone in his speech. He even gave me a license number, 40023, and told me the call could be monitored,” he remembered.
The deceiver also mentioned that his working office was on Calle Chardón, on Roosevelt Avenue, and explained to Ortiz that Pepe Abad had paid half of the vehicle registry, but that $300 were yet to be paid and that he had to send them by Western Union or MoneyGram to be given the car.
“He told me, I’m giving you the car right now, but you have to remain on the phone constantly so that when you get it, the cameras from the program may record you,” said Ortiz.
This seemed to Ortiz even more suspicious when the man on the phone mentioned that the contest complied with federal regulations and even mentioned the name of federal district attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez. Ortiz hung up on the man and searched Google for the name and license that he had been given by the individual. Among the results there were several forums where it was explained that this was a fraud. When Ortiz called the deceiver again to tell him that this was a fraudulent scheme, the latter hung up and never answered again.
Ortiz became even more indignant when, upon trying to report the incident, he was passed on the telephone from police headquarter to police headquarter.
On his part, sergeant Héctor Millán, in charge of the division of property and fraud of the Criminal Investigations Corps (CIC), explained that this fraud modality has been occurring since 2009, and that only one person has been arrested since.
“One agent from here was able to present one case. That was on Thursday, April 23, 2009,” he indicated.
The sergeant said that most of these calls are made from prepaid telephones that are not registered to any body’s name, and when the nearby antennas are traced to determine their origin, they usually come from prisons.
“When an arrest was produced, it turned out to be a female relative of a prisoner,” he indicated.
Millán added that among these schemes they have also seen one where a relative of someone living in a public housing is called and is told that his son stole the motorcycle of a “bichote” (big shot gangster) and wrecked it. The crooks tell the relative that the “bichote” has his son sequestered and that to liberate him they must pay $2,000 to pay for the motorcycle, or they would assassinate him.
The officer also commented that many of these calls are made with AT&T clients and that the criminals search the lists of home phones, or have a company contact that provides the numbers. However, in the case of Ortiz, his cell company is Sprint.
The sergeant urged the citizenry that if they get a suspicious call, they should come to the nearest police station to denounce it. As on now, the CIC is waiting for the Governor to sign the law approved by the House and the Senate requiring that anyone wanting to buy a prepaid cell phone must present valid identification. But this law is being impugned in Federal Court by CTIA, the activist group that represents the interests of the cell phone industry in the U.S.

http://www.prdailysun.com/news/Telephone-fraud-becomes-more-sophisticated

¡¡¡Atención!!!

Massive Internet outage looms in July

By : The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — For computer users, a few mouse clicks could mean the difference between staying online and losing Internet connections after early July.The problem started when international hackers ran an online advertising scam to take control of infected computers around the world. In a highly unusual move, the FBI set up a safety net months ago using government computers to prevent Internet disruptions for those infected users. But that system will be shut down this summer.
The FBI is encouraging users to visit a website run by a security partner that will inform them whether they’re infected — and explain how to fix the problem. After July 9, infected users won’t be able to connect to the Internet.
To check and clean computers, try: http://www.dcwg.org


http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=70703&ct_id=1&ct_name=1
(http://www.dcwg.org)

T-Mobile expande red 4G y anuncia LTE

20 de abril de 2012 - Negocios - Alana Álvarez Valle, EL VOCERO

La red 4G HSPA+ 42 mpbs se completó este año aunque la mayoría de los trabajos se realizaron durante 2011.

T-Mobile Puerto Rico anunció la expansión de su red 4G HSPA+ y la construcción de la red LTE (Long Term Evolution) que se espera que finalice en 2013. De esta forma la compañía de telecomunicaciones estará a la par con sus competidoras más fuertes en la Isla que iniciaron sus servicios LTE el año pasado. Jorge Martel, vicepresidente y gerente general de T-Mobile Puerto Rico explicó que de esta manera la Isla se une a los mercados principales de Estados Unidos en que comenzó el desarrollo de LTE.

La red 4G HSPA+ 42 mpbs se completó este año aunque la mayoría de los trabajos se realizaron durante 2011. Martel indicó que además se añadió cobertura y más capacidad con celdas que benefician a 41 municipios. “Es parte del proyecto de modernización. Se colocaron unos radios nuevos que incluyen la antena y aumentan el poder de la señal un 15 por ciento, al igual que unos equipos de microondas que nos hacen ser más efiicentes en la transmisión de la señal. La inversión incremental son $35 millones, esto es adicional a los $75 millones que habíamos mencionado anteriormente”, comentó.

LTE provee mayor velocidad de navegación, menos tiempo de espera en descargas de páginas web y demás. Martel mencionó que esta es de las inversiones más grandes de los últimos cinco años, realizada por la confianza de la compañía en el mercado puertorriqueño. Los $35 millones se dividirán en los 40 ‘sites’ de más capacidad, en el desarrollo LTE, en la actualización y mejoras al ‘switch’.

Conectados a CMAS

El ejecutivo aclaró a EL VOCERO que desde abril T-Mobile está conectada al sistema federal CMAS por lo que no entiende por qué la Junta Reglamentadora de Telecomunicaciones de Puerto Rico (JRT) dijo públicamente que podría penalizarlos por no unirse al simulacro oficial de tsunami del 28 de marzo. El sistema CMAS es uno de los utilizados por la agencia FEMA para enviar mensajes de alerta climatológica o alertas Amber en caso de una emergencia inminente. “Nuestro sistema está operacional. Tenemos cerca de nueve equipos habilitados para recibir las alertas. No hay ninguna agencia en Puerto Rico que esté conectada, no sé cómo se supone que nos conectáramos. He hablado con la persona de la JRT y ella lo sabe. Te puedo asegurar que si el Presidente de los Estados Unidos en estos momentos declara una emergencia, la alerta le va a llegar a todos los clientes de T-Mobile en Puerto Rico”, manifestó.

FUENTE: http://www.vocero.com/t-mobile-expande-red-4g-y-anuncia-lte/

En otras noticias...

Proveedores de Internet introducen sistema de alerta 6 strikes y fuera (http://www.primerahora.com/proveedoresdeinternetintroducensistemadealerta6strikesyfuera-638524.html)


http://receph.apextech.netdna-cdn.com/images/2012/04/20/strike120420.jpg

sábado, 21 de abril de 2012
10:30 a.m.
Walbert Matos Irizarry / Para Primera Hora

No es secreto que la industria del entretenimiento en los Estados Unidos no está muy contenta con las suspensiones de los proyectos de ley SOPA y PIPA. Es por esto que han decidido tomar las reglas en sus manos y han logrado convencer a proveedores de servicio de Internet en esa nación para que, a partir del 1ro de julio de este año impongan un sistema de “6 strikes” para “alertar” a los usuarios que descarguen ilegalmente contenido con derechos de propiedad intelectual.



Para hacer cumplir este “sistema” se ha creado una entidad llamada Centro de Información sobre Derechos Reservados (www.copyrightinformation.org) (CCI por sus siglas en ingles). El alegado propósito de esta entidad es educar a los usuarios sobre las implicaciones del hurto de contenido con derechos de autor.

Ahora la pregunta de rigor es: ¿cómo funciona este sistema?

Cuando un poseedor de propiedad intelectual detecta que algún usuario está descargando ilegalmente contenido que le pertenece, éste le enviará una notificación a su proveedor de servicio de Internet y este último, a su vez, le enviará una “alerta” inicial al usuario en cuestión. Dependiendo del comportamiento del usuario luego de recibir la alerta inicial, otros tipos de alerta podrían ser utilizados.

Tipos de alerta

Primera alerta: su proveedor de servicio de Internet le notificará por e-mail u otro medio electrónico, que su cuenta ha sido relacionada con actividades ilegales de acceso a contenido protegido por derechos de autor. También se le indicarán las posibles consecuencias de continuar con dichas actividades. Además, se le proveerán materiales educativos al usuario para (1) ayudarle a verificar la seguridad de su computadora y de su red inalámbrica, (2) proveerle información sobre pasos a seguir para evitar en un futuro el hurto de contenido protegido, (3) proveerle información sobre las diversas fuentes de contenido legal.

Segunda alerta: semejante a la primera; la única diferencia es que se enfatizarán los mensajes educativos incluidos.

Tercera alerta: parecida a la segunda alerta aunque con métodos más invasivos para alertar al usuario tales como alertas tipo pop up en su navegador, ser redirigido a páginas de alerta u otros métodos similares. El propósito, según ellos, es asegurarse de que el usuario esté debidamente notificado sobre la alerta e indicarle las consecuencias del hurto de contenido protegido.

Cuarta alerta: si se detecta que el usuario continúa con las prácticas ilícitas se le enviará otra alerta igual a la anterior.

Quinta alerta: si se detecta que otra vez una cuenta está siendo utilizada para prácticas ilícitas, se le enviará otra alerta, pero esta vez también se pueden incluir “medidas de mitigación” de parte de su proveedor de servicio de Internet. Estas medidas pueden incluir reducciones en la velocidad de conexión, bloquear su navegador redirigiéndolo a una página de alerta hasta que se comunique con su proveedor de servicio para resolver el asunto y alguna otra medida que su proveedor estime conveniente. Nótese que las medidas por tomar son a discreción de su proveedor de servicio.

Sexta alerta: se incluyen las alertas y medidas de mitigación de la quinta alerta. Además, su servicio de Internet podría ser terminado. Aunque no es requerido, sí es recomendado, para evitar medidas legales en contra de su proveedor de servicio. A partir de este momento, el poseedor de la propiedad intelectual podría tomar acciones directas en su contra y éstas no están especificadas.

Aunque de primera vista ésta parece ser una medida justa, hay algunos problemas serios que merecen ser discutidos. Uno de ellos es que esta medida fue creada por los poseedores de propiedad intelectual y los proveedores de servicio de Internet sin consultar ni tomar en cuenta los intereses de los usuarios de Internet.

Otro problema es que, al esta medida no ser una ley, sino un acuerdo entre empresas. No hay ningún tipo de protección legal contra cualquier señalamiento y el poseedor de propiedad intelectual no tiene obligación de proveer pruebas de sus alegaciones. Básicamente, es la palabra de los poseedores de propiedad intelectual contra la palabra del usuario en un sistema que favorece al primero. Esto también significa que el usuario es tratado como culpable hasta poder demostrar que es inocente. La única forma de apelar las alegaciones es pagando $35 dentro de los primeros 10 días para que una entidad independiente revise su caso, utilizando parámetros ya preestablecidos ,y decida si dichas alegaciones tienen mérito o no.

Además, como sucedió en los casos de SOPA y PIPA, el lenguaje de este acuerdo es muy ambiguo y se puede prestar para muchas interpretaciones.

Muchos se preguntarán si eso afectará a Puerto Rico, lo que es probable. Todos los grandes proveedores de servicio de Internet en Estados Unidos están a favor de este acuerdo y los proveedores locales dependen de ellos para operar.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hacen ésto y se acabó el negocio de proveer acceso a Internet--piensen en toda la música, películas, e-books y programas de computadora que la gente consigue de ésta forma.

^^^^ Eso no está aprobado y será peleado hasta la muerta por las organizaciones que promueven Net Neutrality y por los ciudadanos de Estados Unidos.

Gracias por traer la noticia

Ya hay empresas que lo están implementando en Puerto Rico--un ejemplo que tengo es tan cercano como un compañero universitario con OneLink.

Free Internet at Vieques

April 28, 2012

The Daily Sun staff

Telecommunications Regulatory Board chairwoman Sandra Torres, along with Vieques Mayor Evelyn Delerme, inaugurated Wi-Fi service in the island municipality’s public square (plaza pública) on Friday.
The new service, now available to the nearly 6,000 residents of Vieques, will open a gamut of opportunities for the population, including the purchase and sale of goods and services through the Internet, finding employment opportunities and requesting all kinds of certificates from the government, among many other things, online, Torres said.
"We are working hand-in-hand with mayors to provide citizens with free Internet access, either through free Internet centers or bringing Wi-Fi service to the public squares of each municipality," Torres stated.
On July 2010, Law 101 was created to close the digital divide existing in Puerto Rico as well as give the municipalities the ability to delegate the administration of an access center and Wi-Fi access to a nonprofit organization in such a way that the continuity of operations is guaranteed regardless of the government in power.
Torres said the Telecommunications Regulating Board has reserved $3 million to ensure that all 78 municipalities have Internet access.
The regulating board recently inaugurated Internet centers in eight other municipalities: Manatí, Moca, Toa Alta, San Sebastián, Aguada, Gurabo, Juana Díaz, and Loíza.
Torres said the board will soon be inaugurating Internet centers in another nine municipalities.
"We have been working so ensure that the installations are carried out effectively, and so far have received 50 requests from municipalities," Torres said.
Municipalities have been slower to set up Wi-Fi in public squares.
"As far as Wi-Fi in public plazas, six municipalities are working on it and we have established service in Ponce and Loíza," Torres disclosed.
"This year we will be inaugurating more than 30 public squares with Wi-Fi for the entire population (in each town)," she added.
The Wi-Fi system installed by the Telecommunications Regulatory Board in the municipalities has a wide reach, as well as allows for the expansion of the Wi-Fi Internet network with the acquisition of additional nodes.
This equipment allows the municipality to create different Internet access networks, Torres said
She explained that a network can be created for the general public, and another for the municipal government.
The municipalities will also have the benefit of an extremely useful tool for the control and monitoring of security cameras with Wi-Fi technology, according to Torres.

http://www.prdailysun.com/news/Free-Internet-at-Vieques

Ya hay empresas que lo están implementando en Puerto Rico--un ejemplo que tengo es tan cercano como un compañero universitario con OneLink.

Están los ISPs que no creen en eso y están los que sí, pero todavía no es ley.

Lo que pasas es que estas compañías combran todos niveles del gobierno y por eso te pueden demandar comoquiera. Son tantos los casos que es necesario fastrack las demandas y eso requiere $$$.

Free WiFi coming to all 78 town plazas

By CB Online Staff
cbnews@caribbeanbusinesspr.com

All 78 island towns will have free wireless Internet access in their public plazas by December, Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock said Monday. The service is thanks to $3 million in funding through the island government’s Telecommunications Regulatory Board.
McClintock took part Monday in the launch of the free WiFi hotpsot in downtown Camuy. He was accompanied in the north coast town by TRB President Sandra Torres and Camuy Mayor Edwin García Feliciano.
“In keeping with the policy of our governor, we are working with the mayors of the 78 municipalities so that this tool to access the world can be used by all residents of our island,” McClintock said.
The TRB has already set up WiFi hotspots in Manatí, Moca, Toa Alta, San Sebastián, Aguada, Gurabo, Juana Díaz, Vieques and Loíza.


http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=71347&ct_id=1&ct_name=1

Esta iniciativa está interesante--me suena a que se presta para revivir los cascos urbanos sacando a los cibernautas 'hardcore' (como muchos de nosotros probablemente somos) fuera de la casa.

El de Juana Díaz lleva varios años ya funcionando. Es de Claro. Puedes ir a cualquier hora y encuentras gente con computadoras por allí. Una vez mi grupo de la clase de 4to año hicimos una reunión en la plaza y transmitimos via Ustream usando ese hot spot.

Malicious online activity skyrockets, P.R. 10th most-vulnerable in the Americas

Written by Michelle Kantrow (http://newsismybusiness.com/author/mkantrow/) // May 8, 2012 //

http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/symanteccomputer.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/symanteccomputer.jpg)

Online cyber attacks skyrocketed by 81 percent in 2011 affecting organizations of all sizes and types worldwide, according to the 17th edition of Symantec’s Internet Security Threat Report, which also revealed that Puerto Rico ranked 10th among all territories in the Americas with the greatest volume of malicious activity.
The report released Monday showed that while the number of global online vulnerabilities decreased by 20 percent, advanced targeted attacks are spreading, data breaches are increasing, and attackers are focusing on mobile threats.
The lengthy document revealed that despite ranking 10th, Puerto Rico fared better than some of the largest countries in the region. Brazil and the U.S. mainland tied for first place, Argentina and Canada took second, while Colombia ranked third. Mexico, Chile, Perú, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay rounded out the regional ranking of countries dealing with cyber attacks and their consequences.
The report showed that Puerto Rico fared better than the rest of the Latin American and Caribbean region in terms of having to deal with a lower volume of malicious code problems — virus, worms and Trojan Horses — so-called “spam zombies,” which take control of systems to send large volumes of junk email, phishing and network attacks. However, the island ranked 8th in the region regarding the problem of “bot”-infected computers, or machines that have been compromised and are controlled remotely.
“In 2011 cybercriminals greatly expanded their reach, with nearly 20 percent of targeted attacks now directed at companies with fewer than 250 employees,” said Stephen Trilling, chief technology officer of Symantec. “We’ve also seen a large increase in attacks on mobile devices, making these devices a viable platform for attackers to leverage in targeting sensitive enterprise data. Organizations of all sizes need to be vigilant about protecting their information.”


http://newsismybusiness.com/malicious-online-activity-skyrockets-p-r-10th-most-vulnerable-in-the-americas/

En Cabo Rojo hay wifi y un cafe al aire libre en la misma plaza, y es excelente tomarse un buen chocolate caliente y sentarse a usar el internet o simplemente dialogar con quien te acompaña.

Siempre me quemo la lengua en el café ese. :)

En Cabo Rojo hay wifi y un cafe al aire libre en la misma plaza, y es excelente tomarse un buen chocolate caliente y sentarse a usar el internet o simplemente dialogar con quien te acompaña.

De verdad que si, estuve en la plaza de Cabo Rojo el pasado sabado con un pana y la pasamos bien alli, viendo lo que habia y hablando un rato ... y es una plaza bastante concurrida ...

Una Plaza bastante concurrida y llena de locos y vagabundos lamentablemente

Comparado con muchos pueblos, es una de las plazas mas vivas que he visitado.

PR plans to expand free Web service (http://caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=71576&ct_id=1&ct_name=1)
By : The Associated Press

Puerto Rico plans to open dozens of new Internet centers and offer more free Wi-Fi connections in public plazas this year.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Board reiterated plans to open 41 centers with free Web access by the beginning of 2013. It also plans to install Wi-Fi in 36 plazas.

Eight computer centers and 34 plazas already offer such services.

The push comes as the Caribbean island seeks to connect more people to the Internet. About a fourth of the Puerto Rico's 3.9 million inhabitants are connected to the Web now.

The communications board has a $14 million annual budget.

Tengo en casa Choice Cable Internet aqui en el Suroeste de Puerto Rico queria presentarle mi velocidad. Cual seria la velocidad promedio aunque varia por test runs. Esto fue anoche que lo saque.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/5113/img124ed.jpg

¿Cual es la velocidad mas rapida de internet en Puerto Rico?

Eso es típico de los resultados que yo tengo con Choice también. Ellos están anunciando hasta 50 Mbps y creo que Liberty también está anunciando esa velocidad. Digamos que esa es la velocidad más rapida que se consigue en PR a nivel de consumidor. Choice es quien tiene actualmente el paquete básico más rápido con 12 Mbps, por encima de casi todas las ofertas en todas las compañías en PR.

Conoces el truco de print screen?

Eso es típico de los resultados que yo tengo con Choice también. Ellos están anunciando hasta 50 Mbps y creo que Liberty también está anunciando esa velocidad. Digamos que esa es la velocidad más rapida que se consigue en PR a nivel de consumidor. Choice es quien tiene actualmente el paquete básico más rápido con 12 Mbps, por encima de casi todas las ofertas en todas las compañías en PR.

Conoces el truco de print screen?

Presionas Ctrl + Home(prt sc) a la misma vez yo voy y lo edito en Microsoft Paint (cut & copy). No uso Photoshop. Es que borre mi (IP) Internet protocol porque sale en el search de Choice TV. Yo pensaba que el area metro tenia la mayor velocidad. Para que veas es el oeste donde el internet corre como Javier Culson LoL.

Te mencioné lo de print screen porque veo que tomaste una foto de la pantalla y es más fácil usar print screen para capturar la imagen y pergarla a Paint que sacar una foto y pasarla a la computadora. Y es la tecla de print screen sola, no tienes que usar ctrl. Alt-print screen te copia solo la ventana que tenga el foco en el momento.

El área metro tiene las velocidades más lentas al menos en lo que concierne cable TV porque Claro ofrece hasta 16 Mbps.

Una prueba que hice hace unos minutos.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1951094034.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

Le hice una prueba a Choice y esto fue el resultado:

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/6079/42702302.jpg

PR Broadband Taskforce maps out strategic plan to close digital divide

By CB Online Staff
cbnews@caribbeanbusinesspr.com

The Puerto Rico Broadband Taskforce (PRBT) on Tuesday mapped out a strategic plan aimed to assess the digital divide across the island and formulate a series of recommendations to close it. The goal of the plan is to achieve a 21st century technology infrastructure and broadband adoption in Puerto Rico while strengthening the economy, increasing access to healthcare, and boosting technology in the classroom. The plan rests on the position that there is no reason why every municipality in Puerto Rico cannot be “as connected” to the Internet as any city in the Western Hemisphere. Puerto Rico businesses can overcome the distance barrier by interacting with their customers worldwide via broadband-enabled applications such as video conferencing. Students in Puerto Rico’s schools and universities can have the same access to distance learning opportunities as those on the U.S. mainland. Through telemedicine, patients in Puerto Rico can receive better quality of healthcare and access to doctors worldwide.

To achieve this vision, the plan sets 25 strategic goals for the access, adoption, and use of broadband technology in Puerto Rico. It also recommends 40 specific policy strategies aimed at achieving those goals. The PRBT is working with nonprofit Connect Puerto Rico, a subsidiary of Connected Nation, on the initiative. “The plan is an important guidepost for increasing broadband access, adoption, and use across Puerto Rico,” said Connected Nation COO and President Tom Ferree. “We congratulate the taskforce on this milestone and being at the forefront of proactively planning for the economic, health, education, and quality of life benefits of broadband access. The report should serve as a model for any state or jurisdiction seeking to develop a plan and strategies to close broadband adoption gaps.”

“With this strategic plan, we will put Puerto Rico on the information technology train of the 21st century,” Gov. Luis Fortuño said. “We seek to end access, adoption and use gap of broadband Internet that currently limits the island’s economic growth and competitiveness.”There is 86 percent availability of broadband Internet on the island, only 31 percent of households adopt this service. Across the island, only 55 percent of households have a computer and of these, only 31 percent subscribe to broadband Internet. “Our goal is to ensure that all Puerto Ricans access to this service today, which is fast becoming an essential tool for growth,” Fortuño said.

“The importance of broadband Internet is incalculable. Just imagine the things we can do without the limitations we have today. With better broadband service we can make our children learn at the same speed as the world’s most advanced schools,” the governor said. “We can bring health services to every corner of Puerto Rico, even from the comfort of your home; we can improve communications between a mother living in the mountain region, with her son or daughter out of Puerto Rico. We can expand Puerto Rican businesses’ markets not just in other U.S. states, but also to Europe, Asia and Africa. We can reduce the response time of police and medical services, improving the safety of everybody.” The island government’s Chief Information Officer Juan Eugenio Rodriguez de Hostos touted the economic scope of the broadband plan.

“Expanding broadband access and adoption across Puerto Rico is essential to ensure our economic sustainability and competitiveness,” Rodríguez said. “Puerto Rico’s workforce is highly educated and bilingual and is well positioned to be a key outsourcing center of high-tech jobs and services. For this to happen, however, it is imperative that we upgrade our infrastructure and ensure that all businesses and citizens have access to and use fast, ubiquitous high-speed Internet.” The PRBT was formed in 2011 with two key objectives: to determine the size and scope of the digital divide in Puerto Rico and identify strategies to close it. The PRBT is a non-governmental, public-private partnership conceived by Rodriguez, the president of the Telecommunications Regulatory Board and the Internet Society of Puerto Rico.

At 31 percent, broadband adoption across Puerto Rico is less than half of the estimated broadband adoption rate across the U.S. Through efforts like those championed by Connect Puerto Rico and the PRBT, progress is being made. Puerto Rico made a significant gain, and is now second in the region, going from a 43rd to 36th ranking on The Global Information Technology Report 2012 Network Readiness Index (NRI). The Global Information Technology Report 2012 is a World Economic Forum project to explore the impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) on productivity and development. The NRI is a benchmark used by the WEF to quantify economies across the world, based on their use of ICT to achieve a competitive advantage.

The Puerto Rico Broadband Strategic Plan is only the start of the process of reform and change. As the plan notes, “this process will not happen overnight and will require waves of reform, coordination, and adjustment across multiple agencies and functions of government, and the private sector. As such, this broadband strategic plan ― the first one of its kind for Puerto Rico — should be understood as the beginning of a dialogue and action plan, not the end.” “The broadband srategic plan will be an important catalyst for social change in Puerto Rico, and we are tremendously proud of Connected Nation’s role in the process and our partnership with the Office of the Chief Information Officer and the Puerto Rico Broadband Taskforce,” Ferree said. “We stand ready to help other states develop similar comprehensive plans for the benefit of all their residents.” Connect Puerto Rico has supported the Puerto Rico Broadband Taskforce in the preparation of this strategic plan by providing research and analysis consulting services.

FUENTE: http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=71662&ct_id=1

Mucha retórica. Los servicios de salud llegan a cada rincón con médicos y profesionales de la salud. No con acceso a broadband. Por supuesto, lo facilita pero no es la medicina mágica que va a resolver todos los problemas. Y la cantidad de personas que usan broadband es tan baja porque una porción significativa no lo puede pagar.

CIO lays out strategy to push island broadband adoption rate to 70% by 2015

Written by Michelle Kantrow (http://newsismybusiness.com/author/mkantrow/) // May 15, 2012 // Telecommunications/Technology (http://newsismybusiness.com/category/telecommunications-technology/), Uncategorized (http://newsismybusiness.com/category/uncategorized/) // No comments (http://newsismybusiness.com/cio-lays-out-strategy-to-push-island-broadband-adoption-rate-to-70-by-15/#respond)

http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/JuanEugenioRodriguez-300x225.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/JuanEugenioRodriguez.jpg)
Juan Eugenio Rodríguez, the government’s chief information officer.

The Puerto Rico Broadband Task Force, a 12-member public-private coalition organized a year ago, is laying the foundation to more than double current broadband adoption levels across the island to at least 70 percent by 2015, up from the current 31 percent, and expedite a significant increase in download speeds within the next five to eight years.
Furthermore, the group’s strategic plan calls for working with local Internet Service Providers to be able to offer minimum download speeds of 4 Mbps (megabits per second) to 98 percent of all local households by 2015, and of at least 100 Mbps to 85 percent of local households by the year 2020, said Juan Eugenio Rodríguez, the government’s chief information officer and head of the task force.
To attain those goals, the group is proposing several initiatives:


Fostering an aggressive expansion of local digital literacy programs targeted to marginalized or lower-income communities through a partnership between the public sector and existing nonprofits already working to bridge the digital divide;
Promoting more mobile broadband usage by touting it as a less expensive and technically easier option to access the web;
Pushing for an aggressive expansion of public computing centers across the island and expansion of digital literacy programs in these centers;
Launching a public-private partnership to develop targeted awareness campaigns regarding the benefits of the online interaction for both personal use and small business enterprises;
And, laying down strategies to address the affordability challenge and to expand computer or other end-user device and subscription penetration across Puerto Rico.

During a roundtable discussion with local business reporters a day ahead of today’s public unveiling of the strategy, Rodríguez said the ultimate goal is to improve Puerto Rico’s standing in the hemisphere with regards to broadband availability, usage and adoption.
“In Puerto Rico, 86 percent of the homes have broadband available to them, at the lowest speed of 768 Mbps, but only 31 percent of them use it. This is something that can be improved, given that the average in other states in terms of availability to the home is about 95 percent,” he said. “In terms of business use of broadband, we compare favorably with the U.S. mainland.”
Seventy-four percent of Puerto Rican companies are already connected to broadband Internet and are likely reaping the benefits. Studies cited by the Broadband Task Force indicate that companies that connect to broadband Internet have the potential to obtain a 37 percent growth in income.

http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Eduardo-Diaz-300x225.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Eduardo-Diaz.jpg)
Eduardo Díaz, president of the Puerto Rico Internet Society

However, when it comes to residential use, one of the main stumbling blocks standing in the way of a broader adoption rate is a lack of awareness of the benefits of subscribing to broadband, said Eduardo Díaz, president of the Puerto Rico Internet Society.
“As part of the study we conducted over the past year, we found out that what Puerto Rico consumers need is education, and one way of addressing that is by establishing a pilot program with the University of Puerto Rico to reach communities adjacent to each of the 11 campuses,” he said. “The pilot program will show us what works and what doesn’t when it comes to spurring broadband adoption.”

The money is there

Another significant obstacle that is holding back broadband proliferation on the island is the cost of deploying infrastructure and services, as well as the inability of many citizens to pay for a computer and monthly plans to offset those investments.
However, both the local and federal government are taking steps to address those issues, Rodríguez said.
Late last month, the Federal Communications Commission released a public notice (http://www.connectednation.org/sites/default/files/connected-nation/files/lifeline_pilot_pn_brief_5_8_2012_final.pdf), announcing the availability of $25 million in funding to motivate eligible telecommunications carriers to come up with “creative ideas” to spur broadband adoption among low-income households across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
In Puerto Rico, 43 percent of residents either do not own a computer or believe broadband service is too expensive, something the FCC is calling upon carriers and nonprofits to also address through the funding program.
Meanwhile, Rodríguez said the local government is also willing to do its part to bring down costs of delivering broadband by making public state roads available for the installation of fiber-optic conduits. Whether rural roads controlled by municipal governments will also be made available remains to be seen.
“This week, the Department of Transportation and Public Works will be signing a collaborative agreement with the Telecommunications Regulatory Board to begin taking inventory and working on a strategy to market the use of state roads as public rights-of-way in a manner that makes sense,” he said.
Although the logistics and costs associated with the use of public facilities have yet to be determined, Rodríguez said it will most likely represent a cost-effective way for ISPs and broadband providers to be able to lay down the so-called “last mile” of fiber-optic infrastructure to reach remote areas of the island.

http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Karen-Larson-300x225.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Karen-Larson.jpg)
Karen Larson, vice president of Critical Hub Networks

During the meeting with members of the media, Karen Larson, vice president of Critical Hub Networks, said while the use of public roads is a viable solution, unsurprisingly, providers are concerned about theft, given the recent negative trend by thieves who strip the copper and other metals off of anything that is exposed.
“Theft is a big concern among broadband providers because it increases costs and service interruptions,” she said. “The message is that if you steal fiber optic cables, you can’t do anything with it because it’s not copper.”

Broadband as a vehicle for growth

Aside from the obvious benefits of being able to surf the web quicker and download content without experimenting the bothersome “buffering,” why is broadband adoption so important?
“This is not about the technology. This is about having a better quality of life and aspiring to have a competitive Puerto Rico that can generate wealth and be able to provide better education and health services to its people,” said Rodríguez, acknowledging that broadband is still both more expensive and slower in Puerto Rico when compared to at least 11 other U.S. jurisdictions.
That said, the government is pushing to turn many public areas and buildings into wi-fi hotspots to provide free access. Last week, the Gov. Luis Fortuño administration announced plans to enable free wi-fi connections at the island’s 78 town squares, at an investment of $3 million.


http://newsismybusiness.com/cio-lays-out-strategy-to-push-island-broadband-adoption-rate-to-70-by-15/

Más acceso a Internet de Banda Ancha


Redacción yasta.pr | 05/15/2012

http://www.yasta.pr/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/LGF-Broadband-11-e1337117215246.jpg
El gobernador de Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuño, presentó el Plan Estratégico del PR Broadband Task Force (PRBT) que expande el acceso a Internet de alta velocidad a todos los sectores de la isla.

Gobernador presenta plan estratégico para ampliar Internet de banda ancha a través de toda la Isla

San Juan, P.R. – El gobernador de Puerto Rico, Luis G. Fortuño, presentó el Plan Estratégico del Puerto Rico Broadband Taskforce (PRBT) que expande el acceso a Internet de alta velocidad a todos los sectores de la Isla. Esta iniciativa tiene el propósito de expandir el acceso a internet de alta velocidad a todos los rincones de la Isla, para aumentar nuestra competitividad y fomentar el desarrollo socioeconómico de los puertorriqueños.
“Con este plan estratégico, vamos a poner a Puerto Rico en el mapa de la tecnología e información del Siglo 21. Buscamos terminar con el problema de acceso, adopción y uso en el servicio de internet de banda ancha que actualmente limita el crecimiento en esta importante área de competitividad. Aunque en la Isla contamos con un 86% de disponibilidad de Internet de banda ancha, sólo un 31% de los hogares reciben este servicio. A nivel Isla, solamente un 55% de los hogares tiene una computadora y de éstos, sólo un 31% recibe servicio de Internet de banda ancha. Nuestra meta es ofrecerla a todos los puertorriqueños acceso a este servicio que hoy en día se torna cada vez más imprescindible”, expresó el Primer Ejecutivo.
Entre las iniciativas presentadas por el PRBT en el Plan Estratégico figuran:


Establecer como meta que para el 2015 el 98% de los hogares puertorriqueños ya pueda contar con Internet de alta velocidad y al menos tres proveedores con ofertas competitivas;
Establecer centros públicos de acceso en comunidades de escasos recursos;
Establecer un programa de entrenamiento digital;
Lanzar una campaña informativa esbozando los beneficios que ofrece el Internet de alta velocidad;
Continuar los esfuerzos de servicios gubernamentales a través de PR.GOV (http://pr.gov/); y,
Trabajar de forma más estrecha con las agencias federales para asegurar la disponibilidad y adopción de Internet de alta velocidad en regiones de bajos recursos.

“La importancia del Internet de banda ancha es incalculable. Sólo imaginen las cosas que podemos hacer sin los límites que tenemos hoy. Con un mejor servicio de Internet de banda ancha podemos hacer que nuestros niños aprendan a la misma velocidad que las escuelas más avanzadas del mundo. Podemos traer servicios de salud a todos los rincones de Puerto Rico, incluyendo a la comodidad de tu casa; podemos mejorar las comunicaciones entre una madre que vive en el centro de la Isla, con su hijo o hija fuera de Puerto Rico. Hacer que negocios puertorriqueños puedan vender su producto, no sólo en el resto de los estados, sino en Europa, Asia y África. Podemos reducir el tiempo de respuesta de la policía y los servicios médicos, mejorando así la seguridad de todos”, expresó el Gobernador.
De igual modo, el Primer Ejecutivo anunció la disponibilidad de las servidumbres de las carreteras de Puerto Rico para la instalación de fibra óptica y que la misma impacte a más hogares puertorriqueños, así como el servicio de internet Wi-Fi en el Centro Gubernamental de Minillas, que es el primero de 78 centros gubernamentales donde estará disponible; uno por municipio.
“En los pasados tres años, hemos transformado la manera de ofrecer servicio usando la tecnología para que el gobierno le sirva al ciudadano en vez de lo contrario. Esto que estamos viendo hoy nadie lo había intentado en Puerto Rico en su historia y PR.GOV (http://pr.gov/) es evidencia de esto”, finalizó el Gobernador a la vez que detalló algunos de los logros de la página web, entre los cuales se destacan:


160 servicios disponibles en línea que incluyen la solicitud de certificado de nacimiento, certificado de deuda de ASUME, y licencia de vehículo de motor
Desde enero de 2010, se han efectuado más de 7 millones de transacciones
El uso de PR.GOV (http://pr.gov/) ha resultado en un ahorro de más de $75 millones para todos los puertorriqueños en tiempo que no tuvo que pasar viajando a una agencia y haciendo fila para obtener un servicio

http://yasta.pr/mas-acceso-a-internet-de-banda-ancha

SME study: P.R. Internet usage levels reach 50%

Written by Michelle Kantrow (http://newsismybusiness.com/author/mkantrow/) // May 16, 2012

http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/SME-300x226.jpg (http://newsismybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/SME.jpg)
The SME commissioned the study that polled local Internet users last month.

About half of Puerto Rico’s population — split almost evenly between men and women between 25 and 39 years old — uses the Internet to work or socialize, according to the 2012 edition of the Sales & Marketing Executives’ “Digital & Mobile Behavioral Study.”
Local usage levels have been consistently rising since 2005, when they were pegged at 33 percent, the study showed, noting the goal is to reach 60 percent by 2015.
Connection speeds are also on the rise, as more than 1.5 million people currently surf the web at broadband rates, according to the study that will be unveiled publicly this morning, two days after the government outlined (http://newsismybusiness.com/cio-lays-out-strategy-to-push-island-broadband-adoption-rate-to-70-by-15/) its strategy to boost local broadband penetration and speeds in coming years.
The SME study, conducted by local research firm Estudios Técnicos, noted that of the nearly 1.6 million users who are connected to the web, 50.6 percent are men, while 49.6 percent are women. More than half, or 55.6 percent of them are single who have at least a high school diploma and earn a salary of between $10,000 and $14,999.
Connecting at home, work
Most connections to the Internet, or 87.8 percent, are done from the home, while 23.3 percent of Internet users surf at work.
More than half, or 57 percent, of people surveyed confirmed that they use their smartphones to access the web, spending an average of 3.5 hours a week online. Texting, surfing the web and taking pictures are the three most popular uses given to smartphones, the study showed.
On the other hand, the research also found that 30 percent of those who are currently disconnected from the web used it at some point, but walked away either for economic (38 percent) or technological (27 percent) reasons.
Top 10 visited sites; online shopping trends
The list of websites favored by Puerto Rican web surfers include the most popular around the world, headed by Facebook, Google.com, and Youtube.com. Depending on the device used to access the web, other favored sites include Yahoo.com, Endi.com, Gmail.com, Hotmail.com, Twitter.com, Wikipedia.com and Clasificadosonline.com.
Perhaps unsurprisingly is the fact that 1.4 million people, or 88 percent of local residents, use social media websites, with an overwhelming majority (83.4 percent) signing in to Facebook. YouTube came in second at 32.2 percent, while Google+ edged out Twitter, with 21.7 percent and 19.3 percent, of respective usage.
Meanwhile, the SME study revealed people connected to the web are seemingly developing a taste and trust in online shopping, as 30.6 percent of those surveyed said they did some virtual shopping in 2012. That average is up from last year’s 24 percent total.
On average, local consumers spent about $205 on their online purchases this year.


http://newsismybusiness.com/sme-study-p-r-internet-usage-levels-reach-50/

Continúa en crecimiento el uso de Internet en Puerto Rico

miércoles, 16 de mayo de 2012 - 11:10 a.m. - José Hernández Falcón / Primera Hora

El uso de la Internet en Puerto Rico aumentó de 48 a 50 por ciento, según el más reciente estudio de la firma Estudios Técnicos, 2012 Digital & Mobile Behavioral Study, ofrecido esta mañana durante la convención anual de la Asociación de Ejecutivos de Mercadeo (SME). Según Luis Rodríguez Báez, gerente de la Estudios Técnicos, se proyecta que para 2015, esta penetración llegue al 60 por ciento.

El estudio, que se realizó durante el mes de abril de 2012 en una primera etapa con una muestra de 500 personas usuarios y no usuarios de Internet, y en una segunda etapa con un “boost simple” de hasta 500 personas, reveló, entre otros detalles, que el uso de las redes sociales para diferentes utilidades, ha ido en aumento, siendo las actividades principales tanto en computadoras personales, teléfonos celulares ,smartphones y tabletas al ver fotos y vídeos, buscar información, escribir e-mails y chatear.

Entre los sitios locales de mayor visita durante este año tanto en computadoras personales como en dispositivos móviles, se encuentran El Nuevo Día, Clasificados Online y PrimeraHora. En la isla, Facebook continúa predominando en cuanto a redes sociales, con un estable 83.4 por ciento, seguido por la red de vídeos YouTube con 32.2 (25.8 en 2011), Google+ obtuvo un 21.7, mientras que la red de microblogueo Twitter aumentó de un 13.2 por ciento en 2011 a un 19.3 este año.

Conexión móvil

El uso de dispositivos móviles para conectarse a internet aumentó de un 44 por ciento en 2011 a un impactante 57, lo que confirma el descenso del uso de la computadora personal, de 77 a un 69 porciento.

Políticos sociales

De los encuestados, un 10.8 por ciento indicaron que siguen a políticos a través de las redes sociales. Al candidato a la gobernación por el Partido Popular, Alejandro García Padilla lidera con un cómodo 26.2 por ciento, seguido del gobernador Luis Fortuño con 19.0. Le siguen las cuentas del Partido Independentista con 11.9 y del PNP con 7.1. El alcalde de San Juan, Jorge Santini está empate con su contrincante Carmen Yulín Cruz, con 7.1. En cuanto a las actividades comerciales en línea, durante 2012 solo un 30.6 porciento realizaba compras comparado con 24.6 el año pasado.

Conclusiones del estudio

El Internet es capaz de resistir la recesión ya que ha seguido creciendo aunque la economía se ha reducido sustancialmente desde 2007. Existe un consenso de la necesidad de colaboración proactiva de gobierno, proveedores y sector privado para impulsar y facilitar la adopción de Internet. Por otra parte, la conexión mediante dispositivos móviles subió de 44 a 57, en smartphone de 35 a 67 por ciento. También reveló que existen 3.13 millones de celulares en una población de 3,725 millones de habitantes. Las redes sociales siguen creciendo y modificándose al tiempo que se adaptan a los gustos y necesidades de los usuarios. El 38 por ciento de los encuestados indicó que dejarían usar internet por razones económicas y el 27 por razones tecnológicas.

FUENTE: http://www.primerahora.com/continuaencrecimientoelusodeinternetenpuertorico-647728.html

Free Wi-Fi for biggest housing project

By CB Online Staff
cbnews@caribbeanbusinesspr.com

San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini is pushing ahead with plans to offer free Internet service to people in the Caribbean’s largest public housing complex. The capital city mayor plans to invest at least $250,000 in federal funds to set up wireless connections across the Luis Llorens Torres complex in Santurce, where some 20,000 people live. He has not said when the project will start.
The New Progressive Party mayor is seeking re-election to a fourth term this year.
His wife, Irma Garriga de Santini, said Wednesday that the project will be extended to at least two other public housing complexes in upcoming years.
Free Wi-Fi is already available in several public plazas across San Juan.


http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=71994&ct_id=1&ct_name=1

Claro presenta RAZR MAXX

miércoles, 23 de mayo de 2012
05:30 p.m.
Primera Hora

La empresa de telecomunicaciones Claro, presentó en Puerto Rico el nuevo Motorola RAZR MAXX, modelo liviando y ultradelgado que se caracteriza por contar con una de las baterías que proporciona mayor tiempo de vida en el mercado de los smartphones actuarles. RAZR MAXX, al igual que la nueva generación de teléfonos RAZR, cuenta con el sistema operativo Android, de Google, y está construido en parte con una fuerte fibra KEVLAR, a la vez que cuenta con una pantalla Super AMOLED Advanced con Corning Gorilla Glass para protección de pantalla. El grosor de este Smartphone es de solo8.99mm, por lo que cabe cómodamente en cualquier bolsillo.

El tiempo de duración de la batería de este nuevo RAZR es de hasta 17.6 horas (conversación). Cuenta con una memoria RAM de 1GB combinada con un procesador de doble núcleo de 1,2GHz, lo que permite la realización de varias funciones simultáneas a una velocidad constante. La versión de Android disponible para este modelo es el Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), pero ya se informó que se recibirá una actualización a la versión 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) durante este año.

El RAZR MAXX viene con la aplicación MotoCast, la cual permite que el usuario pueda ver en línea o descargar contenido desde una computadora en el hogar o la oficina directamente, lo que hace disponible en todo momento, documentos, fotos y música. El Motorola RAZR está ya disponible en las tiendas Claro a través de la isla. Para precios e información adicional, puede acceder www.clarotodo.com y www.motorola.com/mobility.

FUENTE: http://www.primerahora.com/claropresentarazrmaxx-651039.html

Free Wi-Fi for biggest housing project

By CB Online Staff
cbnews@caribbeanbusinesspr.com

San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini is pushing ahead with plans to offer free Internet service to people in the Caribbean’s largest public housing complex. The capital city mayor plans to invest at least $250,000 in federal funds to set up wireless connections across the Luis Llorens Torres complex in Santurce, where some 20,000 people live. He has not said when the project will start.
The New Progressive Party mayor is seeking re-election to a fourth term this year.
His wife, Irma Garriga de Santini, said Wednesday that the project will be extended to at least two other public housing complexes in upcoming years.
Free Wi-Fi is already available in several public plazas across San Juan.


http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=71994&ct_id=1&ct_name=1

No se que pensar, esto podria ser un arma de doble filo...
lo unico bueno que puedo ver es que tal vez si son inteligentes las autoridades podrian espiar a travez del internet las tramollas de los criminales que viven en estos lugares, a travez de chats,
por lo demas, pienso que es una perdida de dinero de los ciudadanos que se fajan trabajando para pagar sus deudas incluyendo el internet.