Internet Access

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I know you are all dying to know about the difficulties you might encounter in your attempts at staying connected. Of course, it wouldn't be for work, but instead, to post pictures of pupusas, views of San Salvador from Los Planes de Renderos and a ton of other beautiful things in El Salvador. Or perhaps you just want to brag via Twitter to your fellow expats that you are sitting at the beach taking in some rays, while they are clearing snow from their respective driveways in New York or Toronto.

Regardless of your intentions, there is no need to worry, all that fun can be had without any real complications. Internet access is easily had even in the most remote areas in El Salvador. Some municipalities even offer free WiFi in public places such as parks. 

For the purposes of historical reference, commercial internet access initially became available to most Salvadorans in the late 90s, but costs involved for the connection and computer equipment kept it beyond the reach of much of the population. Over the past decade, however, things have changed dramatically. Prices have gone down, both for equipment and connections, which in turn has made internet access much more prevalent than back in 1998 when I first visited. 

Much like with mobile phone service, a number of affordable options worth discussing now exist. Lets begin with the free options. 

As mentioned earlier, some municipalities offer free WiFi access in public places. For example, free WiFi access is available at the central park in Antiguo Cuscatlan, although I can't speak to its quality from personal experience. The same is true for areas of Santa Tecla, although, I again cannot speak to its quality. It is an option worth keeping in mind, especially if you are in a bind and in desperate need of a connection. However, please be careful when using such connections as they are open to everyone, including hackers and other malicious users. By careful, I mean, at the very least, do not logon to sites that do not use HTTPS or a secure connection -- assuming you must logon to something.

On a related note, many restaurants also offer patrons free WiFi access. This is true for both the more established restaurants and the mom-and-pop coffee shops. It is definitely worth asking. I have spent hours at a time at some places using their WiFi without anyone bothering me or harassing me to buy something from their menu (although I always do anyway). This seems to be the norm at the places that offer it and makes the experience pleasant.

I've used the connections at Pizza Hut and Viva Espresso (a local coffee shop) extensively and can tell you from personal experience that they are more than adequate for anyone's needs. They are fast and reliable. Sometimes they require a password, other times not, but if they do, you can easily obtain it from your server.

Now, if you want something a bit more private, you can get a USB modem with pay-as-you-go service for your laptop. A USB modem is a device that looks like one of the popular USB memory sticks, but rather than providing additional space for you to store files, it instead provides wireless internet access. Note this is different than WiFi access. What this essentially translates to is that you can get internet access on your computer anywhere you can get a signal for a mobile phone. That includes the beach and just about anywhere else in the country.

A USB modem will set you back less than $20, and are available from local wireless carriers such as Claro and Tigo. Unlike mobile phones, obtaining one may be a bit of a challenge, mostly because they are not a hot item and stock is limited. Your best bet for obtaining one will be a wireless store at a shopping center such as Multiplaza or La Gran Via. 

Once you've obtained it, be sure to jot down its assigned number and keep it handy. The attendant at the place of purchase should provide you the number. You will need this number to purchase airtime, or a recarga. You can buy any amount of airtime you like, starting at $1. To purchase said airtime, you need to know the number assigned to the modem (and carrier), hence why it is important to jot it down and keep it handy. Unlike buying the actual modem itself, you can purchase airtime pretty much anywhere, including neighborhood convenience stores. Again, all you need is the number and the carrier. 

What do I do if I lose or forget the number?

There is a chip inside the modem which can be easily extracted. Places that sell recargas should be able to remove it, place it in a mobile phone to read the number and then place it back into the modem for you. If you have this need, I would recommend you do it at the place you originally bought the modem (or other place you know is familiar with them), as not all neighborhood convenience stores will be accustomed to dealing with modems and they may not be able to help you.

How well does it work? 

The service is not blazing fast, but it works. The speed will vary greatly based on the signal strength. I personally use a modem from Claro as a backup to the broadband available where I stay. I've used it effectively for both Skype and GoToMeeting on multiple occasions. My only gripe with the service would be that the connection will sometimes drop and there isn't any readily visible indicator of it happening. 

When do I need to buy more airtime?

Usage and airtime consumption is controlled by daily subscriptions. A day's use on my Claro USB modem costs me $1.50 and I am limited to 1 GB of data within that time period. You can connect and disconnect as often as you like during the 24 hour period without any problems. As a side note, I've spent hours at a time on it and have never come close to using even half of the data limit.

IMPORTANT: The USB modem will install software on your system which in turn allows you to control when to connect, subscribe, etc. As far as I know, the software they include is only available for the Windows operating system. There might be third party software out there for other operating systems, but I have not specifically looked for it and cannot comment on the matter in an educated fashion.

OK, that covers mobile access, but what about folks that don't travel with their laptop?

Cyber cafes (or seabehr as they are called in El Salvador) still remain popular in the country, both in the cities and in more rural areas. Its been a while since I've checked the rates, but if memory serves me, rates hovered at around $1/hour. Speeds were decent and reliable, although the equipment itself will vary greatly depending on where you go. If you have a need to visit a cyber cafe and are in San Salvador, the easiest way to find one is to go to the neighborhoods surrounding the bigger universities, such as UCA. Many cyber cafes have established themselves in those areas to service student needs. In other areas of the country, most locals will know where the local seabehr is located and should be able to direct you to it.

I am not a fan of cyber cafes, not because of any criminal element or the like, but the simple fact that one never knows what kind of spying/tracking is going on behind the scenes. One can never be too cautious when it comes to those things, especially if one is accessing sensitive information like online banking sites. My personal preference is to not use them, but they definitely fulfill a need for folks that do not have access to a computer and more than reasonably priced.

Lastly, as I eluded to earlier in the post, broadband is available in the country and is common in many homes. The quality of service doesn't seem to stack up to that which you find in the U.S., but it is possible to get connections with advertised speeds up to 6 mbps (down). 

It is worth noting that while internet access is widely available, it is also much more susceptible to the elements than it is in the U.S. Heavy rains in 2011 literally knocked out all internet access for some providers in the country for hours at a time. Those that weren't knocked out were rather sluggish and unreliable during the same period. In the past, I have also witnessed strong winds cause similar problems. In short, if the weather turns bad, don't be surprised if your internet connection gets affected. 

If your intended use is for more serious things, like work, I would strongly urge you to get a USB modem as a backup, and be sure it always has airtime, even just $3 worth. You don't want to find out you don't have any airtime left when it is raining cats and dogs.