Social wireless technology

By Patricia Peña SANTIAGO, Chile,

The Cabrati Telecentre is located in Batuco Lampa and administered by a group of women that manages a day-care centre. It has become a pioneer community access point in the country as it uses the advantages of wireless connectivity to access internet economically, while still turning a profit.


After many months without an internet connection, this remote area that is not considered viable to provide broadband network access services, good news finally arrived through various collaborators.


Thanks to the determination of the CWL-Sincables (www.sincables.cl) collective, that works to provide social wireless connectivity, and Geosat, the area’s internet service provider, this telecentre will have six months of free internet connectivity without a broadband or telephone connection.


For the programme, this experience highlights an issue that is also a challenge in Chile and that involves developing improved public policies pertaining to connectivity and promoting social Wi-Fi. This includes the need to approach the issue from network logic, through alliances with others. Only this way will advances and improvements be obtained, such as in this case specifically between civil society and the private sector.


Photo: The Cabrati telecentre, located in Batuco, Lampa is managed by a group of women. It became a pioneer wireless connectivity centre thanks to the collaborative work between the Sin cables collective and a telecommunications business.


- Article translated from Spanish by APC.

Author: —- (Patricia Peña)
Contact: patipena flacso.cl
Source: FLACSO Chile
Date: 07/11/2006
Location: SANTIAGO, Chile
Category: Democratising Communication


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