(I am really sorry if someone has already asked this question somewhere else in the message board.)
Here in he U.S. most people use their personal computers to access the internet. However, I will be in Madrid during January for 2 weeks and I was wondering how I would access the internet? I will be staying with people but I am not sure if they have internet access or not (I haven't been able to communicate with them very much).
So, I was wondering about the availability of internet cafes or something like that. Also, how do those internet cafes work? For example, the cost and how long you can use the computers, etc...?
I have only traveled out of the U.S. once before but didn't bother to email home then. This time though, I figured emailing would be easier (and cheaper) than calling.
Thanks!

Jill

P.S. This list has been wonderful to read and very helpful! So, thanks MadridMan and everyone!

Good thing I searched the message board before I wrote that other message.
Anyway, I found my answer in a post from 5/2001. I guess the cybercafes are everywhere. I will just find one when I get there!

Like I said before, this message board is very helpful!!

Jill

When I was in Madrid in October, I found a great place centrally located to use the internet with high-speed access and also very reasonably priced--300 pesetas (about $1.50) for two hours. I forgot the exact name, but it's right on the corner of Calles Alcala and Virgen de los Peligros. It has a big orange-colored sign. As you walk along Alcala from its intersection with Gran Via toward Puerta del Sol it would be at the next corner. They must have several hundred terminals available and are open from early in the morning to late at night. The people who work there are very helpful and most of them seem to speak English.

EasyInternetCafe is the name. Quite a good place, very fast and very cheap.

Fernando

[ 01-03-2002: Message edited by: Antonio ]

Thanks for the info arthurg and Fernando! I will look for it when I get there (unless I run into another cybercafe along the way).

Muchas gracias,
Jill

Great info on cyber-cafes.

Can anyone post the availability and cost to bringing high-spead interet into your home in Madrid. In my area of the US, a digital subsriber line (DSL) costs aprox 100$ for modem, etc, and about 50$ a month for service.

Telefonica was getting great US business press in the last three years. Should I expect them to be able to offer the same high-spead "broadband" that my phone company can offer in California.

Thanks for info and general prices/options!

Ok, here we go.

There are currently 4 companies which offer DSL (ADSL) in Spain: Telefonica.net , EresMas , Wanadoo and Arrakis .

On average, the instalation cost is 30.000 ptas (modem/router, Ethernet card, and splitter). But there are sales in which the cost is reduced to 7.000 ptas.

There are thre kinds of speed (all asymetric as it is Asymetric DSL):
256Kbps/128Kbps monthly price: 6.500 ptas + taxes
512Kbps/128Kbps monthly price: 12.500 ptas + taxes
2Mbps/512Kbps monthly price: 25.000 ptas + taxes

Depending on the city you may also find cable available with better prices in general.

Fernando

Fernando, you're always the source of quick and reliable info. Thanks agian .

As usual, Spain shows itself to not only have its history and tradtion, but also on the cutting-edge.

Do you know what service provider is most reliable - telephonica.net ? The prices are almost identical to what is offered here in the "heart" of the Silicon Valley!

Glad to know if I move to Spain I can still afford this luxury of a quick internet.

Hi Kerugma8,
I was recently (1/1/02)in Madrid and used the internet extensively at BBIGGS they are a wonderful outfit on the Calle de Alcala,21 across from a VIPS restaurant and the Sevilla Metro station. You may be referring to this site. It is very spacious and large and it costs 200 pesetas an hour. The equipment is excellent and fast. They are open 7 days a week including holidays. They also have an outlet in Salamanca. Their url is http://www.bbigg.com

Booklady

Really?????? Wow, tell it to the huge number of people who have had problems with their ADSL, their dial-up connection or even with their e-mail (like me :mad . Telefonica may be doing it well in other fields but they are not providing a good service at all, at least in Spain.

Although there are several ISPs offering ADSL access in Spain, actually they are only mere resellers because all lines belong to Telefonica. In fact, Telefonica resells its ADSL to all the ISPs and thus, you have to rely on Telefonica's "quality" for the last mile. From there, data is forwarded towards the ISP networks through ATM lines. The speed you get, among other factors, depend on the bandwidth these lines have and the number of users sharing them.

The speeds Fernando posted, are the maximun possible. However, they only gurantee 10% of that. That is, if you can't get more than 25 Kbps on the cheapest ADSL offer, you can't complain. I don't know many people using ADSL but it seems they are gettin a bit more than that but not the "dreamed" 256 Kbps.

Spain being in the cutting-edge of technology?. Well, we could be but Telefonica and the rest of the telecommunications companies don't invest enough money and our government doesn't do anything to force them to enhance the networks.



Perhaps the price is similar but you can be sure the quality is far worse than what you get there.