Marbella is taking steps to become the first ‘smart’ tourist destination in Andalucia through the provision of an open network for wifi internet access on the streets, the first phase to be completed by Easter and before the elections.
Phase one is to provide 22 public hotspots, the first five to be on the San Pedro Alcántara boulevard, an area where wifi access already exists.
Antennas will be installed at various points to allow internet access within a radius of about 200 metres. Anyone within the area will be able to upload and download data at 256 kbs for one hour per day.
The speed is sufficient for things like WhatsApp, Twitter and other social applications.
The areas to be covered include the historic centre of Marbella and San Pedro Alcántara, Parque de Los Tres Jardines, plaza de Antonio Banderas in Puerto Banús, La Campana in Nueva Andalucía, part of the paseo marítimo in Marbella, Puerto Deportivo Virgen del Carmen and Las Chapas.