Telecentre

Telecentros (or Infocentros ) are mainly in South America and Africa established publicly accessible premises in which about one to two dozen computers are installed with broadband connection. They are used to bridge the digital divide, not only in general poorer areas and districts, but especially where the differences between rich and poor are particularly large.

In telecentros completed projects include the artistic recycling of old computers and their preparation for re-use, the installation of wireless local area networks in the favelas, conducting courses and a range of information, which is highly integrated into the programs of digital and social inclusion.

The use of telecentros is free, and their programming is entrusted to one elected council, which also consists of representatives of the people. It is almost always used free software, such as the customized Linux distribution Sacix.

The largest collection of telecentros there in São Paulo. Over 650,000 users count the 121 local facilities. In contrast, the telecentros were closed in the city of Porto Alegre in May 2005, the decision was strongly criticized and probably not yet final.