The Department of New Technologies of the Consell de Formentera announces that with the recent completion of work in es Ca Marí, ses Bardetes and part of es Cap de Barbaria, fibre-optic connection is now a reality in every urban centre on the island.

Cosponsored by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), installation of the fibre-optic grid began in 2017, overseen by Telefónica, Teleco and the Consell de Formentera.

In April 2018, Sant Francesc became the first town on the grid; es Pujols, sa Roqueta, the industrial park, Sant Ferran, la Savina, the hospital and its immediate vicinity, es Caló, la Mola, es Ca Marí, ses Bardetes and part of es Cap de Barbaria followed in its wake, with various additional connections near urban areas.

The effort was devised, in part, to bury cabling that had previously been strung overhead.

According to new technologies councillor Vanessa Parellada, the upgrades “bring Formentera up to pace with other territories in Spain”. “Islanders in urban areas, as well as most businesses, now have a fibre-optic connection”, she said. “Next year the plan is to continue expanding to the Formentera's more remote corners.” Parellada pointed out that islanders interested in connecting to the grid should contact telephone service providers.

The second phase of the plan starts in 2020 and will see more far-flung areas of Formentera gaining access to the same grid. The removal of copper cables is also in the works.

6 September 2019
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera

The Formentera Council's new technologies department reports that this May, for the first time since the launch of the Virtual Citizen's Information Office (OVAC), more general business has been conducted online than in person, at the Citizen's Information Office (OAC).

From 1 to 31 May, 362 administrative formalities were completed on the OVAC compared to 342 in person at the OAC—“proof”, asserted acting department head Rafael González, “that the surge of online formalities is still going on”. “We've seen it before in many areas”, said González, “people got more used to taking care of certain official business online than in person”.

One of the most popular requests—metred parking pass renewals—has long been more common online than in person. Whereas 198 were completed at the OAC, 454 were done on the OVAC website.

González added that “the Office of New Technologies will continue working to improve the OVAC and increase the total number of formalities processed online—making such business more accessible and more efficient and sparing all of us trips, time and paper”.

5 June 2019
Office of Communication
Formentera Council

The new technologies division of the Formentera Council reports that mapping efforts were started today ahead of installation of fibre optic connections in es Ca Marí. Crews will make use of existing underground conduits as they begin routing the cables along camí de can Simonet.

High-speed connections are already in place in es Caló and la Mola, where registration for the service takes place in June. The changes represent the most recent steps in Telefónica and Teleco's plan—backed by the Formentera Council—for local fibre optic rollout.

The process started back in 2017, and in April 2018 Sant Francesc became the first town on Formentera to be fitted for the service. Next came es Pujols and the island's industrial corridor. High-speed connections were also extended to areas near urban centres.

Residents of Sant Ferran and la Savina have been able to sign up for a fibre optic connection since December, along with, more recently, islanders living near the hospital.

Rollout continues
In an effort to expand the service to all of Formentera, similar efforts are in the works for ses Bardetes and a part of es Cap de Barbaria.

CiF new technologies councillor Rafael González says the idea is “to get fibre optic connections everywhere until now serviced by traditional copper phone lines”, and, in so doing, make good on a longstanding appeal of islanders: “Put Formentera in the lead in terms of telecom services.”

Islanders who wish to find out if a fibre optic connection can be installed in their home should telephone 1004.

March 22, 2019
Àrea de Comunicació
Formentera Council

The new technologies division of the Formentera Council wishes to call attention to the recent purchase that will allow for the local small claims court to offer remote videoconferencing so islanders can take part in legal proceedings from their home. A similar system had fallen into disrepair after nine years of service.

Funding for the new, €3,188 system was provided by the Formentera Council. In November the Justice of the Peace—or Jutjat de la Pau—moved into new offices, at carrer Pla de Rei (120).

May 22, 2019
Àrea de Comunicació
Formentera Council