Hand-painted WiFi sign in a traditional Buenos Aires confiteria - Photo by Matias Dutto

BA hasn’t always been on the leading-edge in terms of new technology adoption, but it seems WiFi penetration in CapFed is off-the-charts…at least compared to other Latin American metros. Clarin’s iEco commissioned a study (Full Story) by BA-based Marco Marketing Consultants and found 1 hotspot for every 2,620 people in Buenos Aires, a 72% improvement over last year’s ratio of 1 to 4,476. The rapid expansion is attributed to the rapid drop in costs associated with adopting WiFi and the proliferation of notebooks and netbooks. Eduardo Tobis of Trends Consulting says the growth of WiFi in Buenos Aires is logical given the ease of installation:“You get broadboand access, you buy a router and you’re done.” According to the study, 72% of BA’s hotspots are found in restaurants, 12% in hotels and universities, and 8% in theaters and malls. And unlike many public hotspots in the U.S., almost all of the hotspots in BA are free. Consultant Enrique Carrier explains this local phenomenon: “If an establishment wants to charge, it’s simple…the client goes somewhere else.” The WiFi attracts locals and visitors alike, according to Nicole Brailovsky, the manager of Bar 6 in Palermo Viejo. But what happens if the WiFi is down? Brailovsky shoots straight,“Many people get up and leave.”