Free Wi-Fi soon in all public places nationwide

President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday signed into law a measure establishing free internet access in public places.

Republic Act (RA) 10929, or “Free Internet Access in Public Places Act,” provides free Wi-Fi in “national and local government offices; public basic education institutions; state universities and colleges, and technology institutions; public hospitals, health centers, and rural health units; public parks, plazas, libraries and barangay reading centers; public airports and seaports; and public transport terminals.”

The law, however, forbids access to pornographic websites.

The law also provides limited internet access “when there is clear and present technical risk or breach that cannot be remedied through ordinary technical solutions.”

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), in coordination with the Inter-Agency Council Against Child Ponography and in consultation with telecommunication companies, shall develop standards and mechanisms for the protection of children online, consistent with existing laws on the rights and protection of children’s welfare.

The law also allows the DICT to form a partnership with the private sector to promote an “efficient and cost-effective” delivery of free internet access in public places.

After one-year implementation of RA 10929, the National Telecommunications Commission shall issue rules on minimum standards for quality of services, including download speed, latency, packet loss, and jitter for public free Internet service.

The law creates the Free Public Internet Access Fund, which will be managed by the DICT and will be sourced from DICT, NTC, and the National Privacy Commission.