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The City of Malaga is studying the prospect of installing Wi-Fi access around the city and has received a blow from Spain’s telecom governing body, the Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones (Telecommunications Market Commission). The proposal was to install access points inside municipal facilities with short-range access (30-100 meters), making this access limited to those physically present inside the buildings. It would consist of free and unlimited access to all city websites and limited general internet access, with security blocking against file-sharing programs. Those wishing to access the internet for mail, chat or other general-purpose browsing would have to request a time-limited username and password.

The Commission’s 8-page response includes some of the following:

• the requirement that the City of Malaga be registered as an operator, since they would be providing internet service via username/password
• providing free access would endanger the nature of open-market comptetition to a similar service
• limiting the offered service to accessing only municipal pages would not be prohibited, since this has an EU precedent from a similar request granted to the City of Prague

Nevertheless, Malaga’s mayor Francisco de la Torre is resisting the negative response and has committed to study out all possible legal possibilities of the initiative, determined to succeed. He mentioned another initiative that has begun called the WiMAX project, which would offer internet access for a cost, but which would greatly surpass the speed of simple Wi-Fi. (WiMAX is full-on broadband access using wireless radio frequencies.) WiMAX is emerging in other areas with test beds in cities such as Amsterdam (offered in the city’s centre for 20€ / month) and Portland, Oregon (USA), a key city in the international WiMAX Forum.

Discussion of a WiMAX solution brings to mind questions about the cost of new wireless cards and the feasibility for visitors, as this technology is too new for many consumers to have their laptops outfitted already. Of course, the mayor didn’t offer anything to assuage these issues. We can only assume those concerns will be addressed after a contract is signed.

Wondering how many more lines you’ll have to wait in, just to be told you’re in the wrong government office? Passing the buck or not understanding questions besides in Spanish are common barriers when applying for residency, jobs, or other numerous proceedings that take place in every day life for a foreigner living in Spain. Considering how many foreigners are here, advice should be easier to come by (from Rajoy’s talk on social matters in last night’s debate):

In the year 2007, over 725,000 [foreigners entered Spain], also more than France, the United Kingdom and Germany combined. We are the second nation in the world, only exceeded by the United States, when it comes to entering foreign citizens.

The Malaga Town Hall inaugurated a new telephone service last week (Teléfono del Inmigrante) to hopefully alleviate that helpless feeling, where you can speak with lawyers who specialise in immigration matters in English, French or Spanish. They will provide information related to the type of documents and steps needed for accomplishing what you need to, whether or not you’re a member of the European Community. They can also aid those who conduct business with foreigners, those who want to hire foreign residents and students, and other matters.

Dialling 010 (from outside Malaga – 902.210.250) from 9 am - 7 pm, M-F will connect you to an answering service, which will then connect you with the cell phone of one of the two lawyers. Note that this line is also the general information number for the City of Malaga - find out what else this number provides from malaga.eu.

The need for this was stirred up months ago by immigration associations, and according to the City’s representative Julio Andrade, it is a pioneer service in Andalucía. It will also prompt the opening of a municipal office for aiding immigrants, possibly in March. On a side note, the United Left political party has requested the closing of the Centro de Internamiento de Extranjeros ("Centre for Admission of Foreigners") because it is in "conditions not fit for human occupation." Oh well, one’s going up and the other coming down - is that progress?