By Sutel
This is a machine translation of the original press release issued in Spanish
The Superintendence of Telecommunications (SUTEL) joins the commemoration of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, where through the National Telecommunications Fund (FONATEL), a total of US$47.9 million is invested to bring fixed telephony services and mobile and broadband Internet in 14 indigenous territories .
To date, through FONATEL, progress has been made in the installation of a total of 25 towers, which provide telecommunications services to the inhabitants of the indigenous territories, who can already acquire the services directly, and who are also seen beneficiaries of Internet connection through schools, colleges and health centers, charged to the Fund.
The communities that already receive the services are: Zapotal, Cajón Boruca, Las Vegas Boruca, Lagarto Boruca, Sipar, Palmital, Rio Azul, Bribrí Salitre in the South Zone, as well as Cerere, Boca Cuen, San Miguel Sibuju, Gavilán and Gavilán Canta in the Atlantic area.
SUTEL will continue to expand the coverage of telecommunications services in the Indigenous Territories of Cabécar Tayní, Talamanca, Bajo de Chirripó, Altos de Chirripó, and the Bribrí communities of Talamanca, Keköldi, Guaymí de Conteburica, Altos De San Antonio, Abrojos-Montezuma, Brunka de Curre (King Curre), Térraba, Cabécar de Ujarrás, Bribrí de Salitre and Cabagra, for which it has already signed contracts and financial resources.
As explained by Ing. Gilbert Camacho, President of the Council of SUTEL, “the connection of these indigenous territories is part of a project that benefits 14 indigenous territories and that has an advance of 56% in the Atlantic Zone and 53% in the South Zone. According to SUTEL projections, in March 2024, the total of the 70 telecommunications towers contracted to bring telephone and Internet services to these territories, peoples located in remote and difficult-to-access areas, will have been delivered.“