Free Wi-Fi terminals installed in Covid-19 patient care centers

Wi-Fi terminals have been installed at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, the Philippine International Convention Center and the World Trade Center in Metro Manila. (Shutterstock photo)

MANILA – Patient care centers nationwide now have wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) terminals installed.

“Free internet connectivity will help health workers in their submission of situation reports online. It will also alleviate fear and distress among front-liners and patients by allowing them to keep in touch with their families and loved ones,” the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said in a statement Wednesday.

Wi-Fi terminals have been installed at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, the Philippine International Convention Center and the World Trade Center in Metro Manila.

Outside Metro Manila, Wi-Fi terminals have been installed at the Dagupan City Astrodome in Pangasinan, New Clark City – Athletes Village in Capas, Tarlac, City Rest Drive Inn in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Sacred Health School for Boys in Cebu City, and the Ateneo de Zamboanga–Lantaka Campus in Zamboanga City.

Wi-Fi hotspots were also installed in more than 30 Covid-19 monitoring and control centers, as well as in five Covid-19 testing centers nationwide.

The program, dubbed the “Free Wi-Fi for All” program and was initially launched to provide internet to remote and poorer areas of the country.

According to its website at freepublicwifi.gov.ph, the program has installed a total of 3,707 free Wi-Fi terminals all over the country since its official launch in March this year.

During the program launch, DICT Undersecretary Eliseo Rio, Jr. said the Wi-Fi terminals, which used very small aperture terminal (VSAT) technology, will not rely on the mobile service availability of commercial telecommunications (telco) companies such as Globe Telecom or Smart Communications.

He added that the terminals were mandated by law to provide a minimum of 40 Megabits per second download and upload speeds, protected from cybersecurity attacks, and censored by the DICT.