expatplayer

Where can a person go to use the internet in Panama? Are there many internet cafes? Are there any libraries with internet?

Lalaguayaba

There are internet cafes all over the city, and all over the country on the tourist trails. Expect to pay $1.00 per hour; so its super-cheap, but you should be prepared for a Spanish-language sign-in screen. All the large hotels have business centers with free computers for their guests as well.

Outside of the U.S. and Europe, personal computers are just not as common, so internet cafes are ubiquitous and cheap. There hasn't been a place I've been yet in the last five years without a cheap and easily available way to get online, check email, make e-calls, etc.

Cheers.

Patricio

Clarocom internet cafe on Via Veneto and on the corner of Avenida Eusebio Morales. high speed internet, wifi, 3 dollars for 12 hours, very friendly staff, nice atmosphere, has a terrace too.Excellent place to meet people.

themark

I thought $1.00 an hour was amazingly cheap. Then I read Patricio's post. $3.00 for 12 hours? I almost fainted. I think I pay more than that for internet at home.

Patricio

Correction this was when using the wireless (wifi) service with my laptop
ticket says 12 hours.

Lalaguayaba

I know my internet is probably around $40 a month, so around $0.75 a day is what I pay at home--so $1.00 an hour may seem cheap, but that is only in comparison with places like Kinko's in the U.S., where its $12 an hour.

Cheers.

themark

I was thinking of how many hours I use the internet at home. Even though I have it 24 hours a day, I probably only use it a few hours on average.

Lalaguayaba

But if you're paying $40 a month, that's $0.75 a day, or about $0.03 an hour. Is 3 cents an hour too expensive?

You can easily see where the profit margins come in when you have an internet cafe; after the costs of computers (and the more you buy, the cheaper they get) are factored in, you've got about 14 months until you break a profit. That's an excellent plan!

Cheers.

PanamaPat

It's a great place, much better than the other Internet cafes in Via Veneto where it's impossible to breathe. They used to have an offer where wireless Internet is free if you also buy a phone card; I'm not sure if that's still available.

Anyway, I'm very hesitant about using wifi anywhere in Panama because anyone can capture your information if it's not encrypted. On the other hand, Internet cafe computers might have spyware installed, which is an even higher risk because it also captures anything you type. So the best bet is to use your laptop and connect it through a network cable. It's possible to do that at Clarocom also.

Patricio

" They used to have an offer where wireless Internet is free if you also buy a phone card; I'm not sure if that's still available. "

yes that offer is still on....costs 3 dollars for 12 hours.
nice place , only sitting on the terrace can be noisy and car pollution is not very good for your health.

PanamaPat

That's true. Plus, it's hot and humid, which might not be that good for your computer!

0lgi

3$ for 12 hours ! Is that possible ? What about the computer specs ? Are they good ? Flat-Screen or just the old ones ?

Lalaguayaba

No flat screens that I've seen--definitely not the norm, just the regular cathode ray tube monitors. As far as most of the computers--this is not Vista country yet, but 2000 and XP abound. Its not the computer dark age, but not super-fast either. I recommend bringing your own and connecting to the net @ the cafe...

Cheers.

MRWOOHOO

I am in a hotel right now that offers free wireless internet if you are staying here, the download speed is pretty decent.

tallman33

How much does it cost to stay at the hotel?

Lalaguayaba

Perhaps y'all want to move this thread to http://www.panamaforum.com/hotel-reviews/ ?

Cheers.

Nosfer

ok now... what i haven't understand... that price, $3 for 12 hours is insanely cheap, but you need to have a laptop? i mean... there aren't internet cafes with their own computers? anyway... i don't think i could stay longer than 2-3 hours on a chair in front of a computer surfing the internet

Lalaguayaba

The cafes have their own computers, but if you want to bring your own laptop and plug in, its cheaper. Got it?

Cheers.

coolandhot

Do you have to pay to use the internet wifi even if you have your own laptop? Many places in the States have wifi and it is free to use.

Lalaguayaba

It is not free wifi--you need to log in with a purchased phone card, see previous notes. Some hotels may offer free services, as well as some of the universities--but you should do some of your own research the next time you come on down and let us know what you found.

Cheers.

PanamaPat

The Clarocom place does have flat screens. And the computers are quite fast. I think they only opened 2 or 3 years ago, so they have "new" equipment (even though 2 to 3 years already quite old in the computer world ).

The only hotels I know of that offer completely free wifi are the Country Inns. But using wifi is dangerous anyway unless you take extra precautions because just about anyone can intercept your traffic.