Costa Rica has long been a leader in the field of Internet telecommunications. For example, the Bitnet node implemented in 1990. This was the first Internet node in Central America. It has been in operation at the UCR (Universidad de Costa Rica) since January 26, 1993. Further commercial services have been available since July 1994. This node also supports the governmental network currently under construction. Go to Costa Rica's main web servers by clicking
here. While Costa Rica is still behind the US in Internet development, it is growing faster then ever and is the leader in Internet connectivity for across all of Latin America. While still small in size the network in Costa Rica is attracting many of the largest US Internet service providers to sponsor it. Companies like America Online, The Microsoft Network and Sprint are just a few. Many important sponsors are now using this boom in support of the Costa Rican economy. They see the Internet as a tool in which they can strengthen the infrastructure and improve the standard of living for many Costa Ricans all at once. The National Research Network of Costa Rica (CRNet) was awarded a Technical International Cooperation grant from the Central American Bank of Economic Integration to strengthen the Internet backbone in Central America. The project, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology of Costa Rica as well as with its counterparts in the region, is considered of the highest importance for the Central American area. The project has as its objective to provide high-capacity connectivity among the academic, developmental, research, technological, industrial, commercial, and governmental sectors of all the countries in the area. The basic capabilities envisioned include basic teleconference and interactive video capabilities, the use of digital microwave infrastructure in the region, and the use of high-technology equipment acquired for the various regional projects under the Hemispherewide Inter-University Scientific and Technological Information Network (RedHUCyT) of the Organization of American States.The hope is that scientific and technological development will be enhanced and that the ties between the countries will be further strengthened. Commercial networks, interconnected to the academic networks, will also benefit from this project because their regional traffic will flow without restrictions in the area and without the delays caused by the utilization of satellite links.
Exercise 1: Jeffrey Clark, Liza Dunham, and Dick Wright
