Fiber Internet Service in Escazu,
Costa Rica with Itellum

Escazú: Often referred to as the “Beverly Hills” of Costa Rica, Escazú is only 10 minutes from the capital, San José. An eclectic mix of old colonial style and new upscale ambiance, it is considered one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the central valley. Bordered by Sabana, Pavas/Rohrmoser and Santa Ana, its population is growing, and at June 2018, hovered around 69,000 inhabitants. The majority of residents are in the 15 to 64 age group and are heavy internet users. iTellum supplies the superior internet service in Escazu that area residents are looking for.

The greater area of Escazú includes 3 districts, Escazú Centro, San Antonio, and San Rafael. Due to it’s proximity to San José as well as the airport, it is a prime choice for corporations and residential developers seeking the fastest and most reliable internet offered by iTellum. In fact, that is a major reason iTellum chose this area to locate their corporate offices. When leaving San José via the Highway 27, you pass through Sabana and then enter Escazú and are impacted by commercial centers and office buildings.

San Rafael de Escazú is the home of the first large indoor shopping mall, Multiplaza which spurred the development of other commercial and industrial outlets. Multiplaza has had several expansion phases since it opened in 1993 and houses over 60 multi-national and local companies. Prestigious brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste, Zara, Nike, Guess, Calvin Klein, Gap, Apple Computer, Sony, Samsung, and many others as well as several restaurant chains and an extensive food court. You’ll find MacDonalds, Taco Bell, Subway and the like, as well as “sit down” dining in Inka Grill, IL Gourmet, and Tintos y Blancos. It also has movie theaters and the most popular banks in the country. It is definitely a representation of international businesses all relying on iTellums commercial grade fiber optic internet connectivity. Since the San Rafael area is located along the main artery, Route 27 connecting the capital of San José and the Pacific coast beach areas, it is well traveled and in close proximity to the commercial and industrial enclaves. There are many relatively new complexes along Route 27 including offices complexes with law firms, real estate and development companies, construction companies and more. Shopping centers with both businesses are hotels such as Outback Restaurant, Hooters and Marriott Hotels are also here. New shopping centers such as Avenida Escazú, Plaza Tiempo and Escazú Village include businesses like Walmart, Cemaco, Imax Theater, Toyota, Harley Davidson and a plethora of gastronomic locations with extraordinary dining choices.

The trend in these new commercial developments is to combine a multitude of dining and shopping experiences with offices and upscale lifestyle options, primarily mid to luxury condominiums. With this comes access to home furnishing stores and appliance and hardware outlets such as the hardware chain EPA and Construplaza. One will also find the state-of-the-art Cima Hospital, Pricesmart and Office Depot on Route 27. The office complex of Plaza Roble (Escazú Corporate Center) is a stunning business development attracting some large companies making it their home office. Dole, Banco BAC San Jose, Leo Burnett, JW Marriott, Microsoft, Cisco, and many others all have offices here due to the availability of iTellums internet via 1:1 international fiber optics solutions. Alongside Plaza Roble and Multiplaza is the strategically located, Intercontinental Real Hotel and Convention Center. It’s no wonder these corporations have chosen to locate here. iTellum caters to the high density of businesses in this area and refers to their service as an “Internet Concierge”. This is because they offer internet services from start to finish with connectivity for hotels, call centers and medium to large companies. These types of businesses are more interested in the redundant quality that iTellum offers rather than lesser priced, unreliable alternatives. iTellum satisfies their need for faster, better, stronger internet and support.

The San Rafael area of Escazú is also home to many public and private schools. Escazú has been known to attract an upscale, somewhat elite population that seeks superior educational facilities. Schools such as Blue Valley, Saint Mary, Prodigy Kids Academy, and Mountainview School are just a few of the schools that require a student to meet computer proficiency standards in order to be accepted in colleges abroad, in the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, and Asia. They offer a variety of curriculums in Spanish as well as English and other languages. Some classes are combined with online participation that cannot be efficient without commercial grade internet.

So one might imagine that the housing in Escazú is some of the most expensive in the central valley and possibly in the entire country. Geographically the district of San Rafael is in the valley as opposed to the mountains. There are many condominium developments and neighborhoods in areas like Trejos Montealegre, Los Laureles and Guachipelin that are primarily residential but are very close to commercial centers. Some of these are on flat land and are well-established neighborhoods while others are at a slightly higher elevation with views. These areas demand the best internet in Costa Rica, and residents wouldn’t settle for anything less. The Costa Rica Country Club, founded in 1940 is in San Rafael on the old road to Santa Ana and is a long-established golf course and exclusive recreational facility with primarily Costa Rican private membership. The 9-hole golf course, pool, tennis courts, racquetball, lawn bowling, gymnasium and assortment of restaurants, bars, food kiosks, and special event salons form what was the first of this type of facility in Costa Rica and remains popular today. It is often the venue for parties, weddings, sports events, art shows and other cultural events due to its prestigious reputation and lush green surroundings.

As you head south into the mountains, you arrive at Escazú Centro. This is the “original” town of Escazú, the village of old with its historic adobe structures and Spanish colonial homes. In contrast to the high tech commerce that is prevalent here, is the history-slash-legend of the witches of Escazú. There are many tales of witches (or brujas) and other bizarre creatures here and you’ll see many decals, bumper stickers and signs depicting a witch on a broom. Here you’ll find some “country-style” typical restaurants, like La Casona de Laly, La Posada de las Brujas, La Catrina and many other small cafes and sodas that offer typical Costa Rican dishes at reasonable prices. There are also quaint hotels and bed & breakfasts that attract tourists and locals alike. A major event here is the weekly agricultural market and the organic market. The weekly agricultural market is in the center of town by the architecturally dominant church and picturesque town square where locals collect and socialize. Combined with the “old world” ambiance, there are now new shopping centers like Plaza Atlantis and Plaza Maynard which are more akin to strip malls and offer everything from banks to grocery stores, pharmacies, and boutiques.

Go south and up the hill a bit further, and you will reach San Antonio with a more rural setting and older homes intermingled with condominiums and palatial estates. The hills are dotted with farming communities, while at the same time, they have the most fantastic views of the valley. Much of the mountain areas have been designated nature reserve and so are limited in the percentage of land on which you can build. The climate up here is fresh and can be much cooler than that of San Rafael. The church and town square dominate the center of town and as you drive out of the area and into the mountains you’ll find restaurants with awesome vistas like Mirador Tiquicia, Mirador Valle Azul, Le Monastere and hotels like Hotel Pico Blanco. There is an annual event in March known as El Día de Los Boyeros. It is a festival of traditional food, arts and crafts and a parade of over 100 colorful wooden carts driven by oxen. The families that own the intricately painted oxcarts are celebrating the proud tradition honoring Costa Rica’s history of using oxcarts to transport crops throughout the country.

This mountainous area means that the higher you go, the more narrow the roads get, and the more interesting, the scenery. There are many areas to hike in San Antonio and one of the most popular is Pico Blanco, a rocky outcropping which will take you to an altitude of 2271 meters (7451 feet) above sea level. Its origin is volcanic in nature and allows you to observe the flora and fauna that is abundant here. The hike involves a trail, rock climbing, and fantastic waterfalls. Locally, this mountain is known as "La Cruz," because of the large cross that has been built at the very peak. There are three crosses in total. The first one is made from concrete; the second one is a steel cross set atop a concrete pyramid. The third, which is at the peak, is the tallest of the three and is made of steel. From the top vantage point, it is possible to see almost the entire Central Valley including the city center of San José. On a clear day, you can see both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.

On Monte Tapezco, in the same mountain range in San Antonio de Escazú sits the quaint town of Bebedero. The area was somewhat isolated from the rest of Escazú because there was no bus service until the 1990s. Above the town stands a number of telecommunication towers which serve the surrounding areas. iTellum makes use of some of these towers to bring their internet service via 1:1 International Fiber Optics to the high demand commercial, industrial and residential users in the area.

One thing is certain. Escazú is a cultural, commercial and financial mix of extraordinary elements, many of which have evolved to take advantage of the best internet Costa Rica has to offer. iTellum offers Escazu 1:1 service only. There are no shared connections with their service giving this growing diverse Costa Rican city a reputation as a most desirable location.