More public schools to get free wifi this year

THE government is set to expand its free broadband project this year to include more public schools across the country.

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) officer-incharge Eliseo Rio said in his Facebook post on Monday the DICT and the Department of Education (DepEd) will work together on a major project that will include public schools nationwide to the list of establishments with free wireless internet connectivity program.

In a text message to The Manila Times, Rio said the DICT will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the DepEd to start the installation of the free internet access.

“Hopefully, [we could sign the MOU] within the second week of January,” he said.

Rio said the schools that will be used as precincts in the 2019 mid-term elections will be given priority.

The government’s free wifi program aims to provide free internet access to public places such as town plazas, parks, government offices, health units, and transport terminals.

In the same post, the DICT official said the third telco player should take this as a “challenge” to cater to the “huge market of high speed” and “inexpensive internet access to the homes.”

“Every child should have the same opportunity to access the internet,” he said.

The new player, which would fire up the competition between PLDT and Globe Telecom, is expected to be operational in the first three months of the year as mandated by President Rodrigo Duterte.